The roads of California are some of the busiest in the world. With over 33 million vehicles registered (and over 25 million licensed drivers), the state leads the nation in total number of vehicles on the road. That high vehicle population translates, inevitably, into a steady crop of accidents and collisions.
Collisions can be caused by many factors, some of which are beyond the control of drivers. Bad weather, adverse road conditions, loose animals, and more can cause a crash. California has its share of roads where inclement weather and mountainous conditions pose a constant threat. Lake Tahoe and Big Bear have lots of winding roads, and the Tejon Pass outside of Los Angeles often suffers from challenging weather.
The majority of accidents, though, are caused in some way or another by driver error. California’s top five driver-at-fault accident causes are:
* Driving under the influence
* Driving aggressively
* Driver fatigue
* Speeding
* Distracted driving
California’s Most Common Vehicle Repair Claims
Regardless of the cause, a vehicular collision typically produces damage that owners will have to have repaired. Typical auto body repair claims in California include:
* Front or Rear-End Damage
Many of California’s auto body claims are produced by rear-end collisions. These sorts of accidents are particularly common in the state’s big cities, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. Rear-end collisions often take place at low speeds (when compared to highway accidents), producing low to moderate amounts of damage that can easily be repaired. The repair process can include replacing bumpers, side panels, headlights, brake lights, and turn signals.
* Extensive Body Damage
High-speed collisions are more common on California’s highways, including both interstates like I-5 and state roads like CA-67. Provided that a vehicle in a high-speed collision does not suffer frame damage, the body can typically be repaired. If the collision damage does extend to the frame, the vehicle is often written off as a total loss.
* Windshield Repair/Replacement
Many different events can cause windshield damage, including vandalism, hail and high wind (carrying debris) as well as accidents. Small nicks and cracks in a windshield can be repaired, but once the damage gets extensive enough, the windshield must be replaced. In most cases, windshield repairs take only a few hours.
* Dents, Scratches, And Nicks
Minor scratches, dents, and dings are an inevitable part of driving in any environment, and California is no exception. While this sort of minor body damage rarely hurts a vehicle’s performance or safety, the adverse effect on the vehicle’s appearance can reduce its value. This is one reason that minor body repairs are surprisingly high on any list of common auto body claims. Drivers like to preserve the pristine appearance of their cars when they can.
* Painting
It’s normal for a vehicle to need partial or complete repainting after an accident, but many other circumstances can call for a new paint job. Vandalism and aging are just two of the additional issues that can lead to car painting. Painting a car is a specialized job. It requires the right sort of paint, the right equipment, and experienced professionals to do the work. Whether you’re doing a full repaint or just touching up some trouble spots, it’s always best to let professionals handle your car-painting work.
Art’s Auto Body & Paint Shop at Your Service
If you are looking for an auto body shop in Pomona, visit us and our team of trained and experienced professionals are ready to serve.
