4 Most Common Car Accident Damages

I consider myself a careful driver. I mean, I love driving fast and having fun behind the wheel, but I save that for track days. On public roads I’m a nice guy. Yet, I had an accident last year. A guy simply came out of an intersection and hit me. He didn’t do it on purpose and he wasn’t driving like a maniac – actually, he had just pulled off from a complete stop – but his concentration dropped for a second and we were both pushed into the perils of an accident.

The point of the story above is that accidents happen. You can be as careful as you want, but if you drive on a daily basis, statistics say that you are bound to be in a car accident at a certain point.

However, most people see this statistic as a complete disaster. The truth is that vast majority of accidents are far lighter and the only things that get damaged are cars, egos and bank accounts. Here is the list of the most common damages in car accidents.

1. Bumpers

It is actually damaged in more than 30% of all accidents. However, most of these damages are not from very dangerous head on collisions, but rather from reckless parking, meetings with kerbs and obstacles and usually forward-directed slides on icy roads.

2. Headlights

If those car accidents from the previous paragraph are just a bit sideways, or if they are at speeds higher than just barely moving, headlights are the next thing that gets damaged. They are also made of rigid materials and this makes them crack at collision. If the collision is a bit harder during these accidents from the first two parts, your radiator might be damaged and this is a more expensive issue and the one that will prevent you from driving your car anywhere.

3. Fenders

The next in line are the fenders. Usually protruding at least a bit from the side, they are sure to get damaged in any kind of a sideways collision. Moreover, they are usually damaged during harder front hits and we’ve already spoken about how common these are. Lastly, they are often the thing that gets hit while manoeuvring in tight spaces when we think there are a few more centimeters between us and the thing we want to avoid.

4. Grille

Strangely enough, the grille stands between the headlights and usually sticks out, but it is damaged less often. This is so due to the fact that most drivers will try to avoid the hit and turn at the last moment, thus hitting the obstacle with the side of the car. This usually makes the bumpers and headlights broken but leaves the grille intact. However, it’s position makes it destroyed in about 20% of collisions.

We hope that this article makes you a bit less scared when you read car accidents statistics. However, this by no means suggests that you can relax while driving and pay less attention. Car accidents are among the most common causes of severe injuries and premature deaths, so watch where you are going and obey the rules.