Watching Out for Auto Repair Fraud

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

An auto accident can be bad enough without being taken advantage of by unscrupulous body shops. Carefully review any materials presented to you by your mechanic, and look out for any red flags that you’re being taken for a ride in your own wreck.

Firstly, be wary of any unsolicited referrals. Whether somebody is referring you to a body shop or your body shop is referring you to a medical or legal office, this may be a sign of illegal activity. Organized rings exist that work to actively cause car accidents in order to garner your patronage, and they will do what they can to snatch up your money in the form of attorney, doctor, and mechanic fees.

After you have your car repaired, keep an eye on what you are being charged for. Dishonest repair shops may try to report damages that did not exist when the vehicle was brought in, bill for repairs that were not authorized, or charge for new parts while either repairing the existing parts or even replacing them with junkyard salvage.

Remember, not everybody is as reputable as Greenwood Auto Body. Seek us out for all your car repair needs, and you will not be taken advantage of.

Checking Your Car’s Safety Rating

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

Our Seattle body shop has seen people and cars miraculously survive serious collisions. Maybe you’re wondering how well your car would hold up in a wreck. Every year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests the safety ratings of about 92% of all passenger vehicles. These performances are posted to Safecar.gov for you to access. You can also check ratings through a separate, non-profit organization called the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The funded safety trials and crash-test ratings are available on their website, and even include electric cars like the Nissan Leaf. Check both for the most reliable

Standards for crash-ratings are always being raised, so newer cars are becoming increasingly safer. A more resilient car means less money spent in repair costs, so take time to choose a car that can withstand a collision, should it happen.

Consequences of Auto Collision

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

Auto collisions affect millions of people everyday; our Seattle body shop encourages you to practice safe driving to help run the following statistics down.

  • Auto collisions are the number one cause of death for adults ages 5-34 in the U.S.
  • In 2009 alone, over 2.3 million adults were sent to the E.R. for collision-related injuries.
  • Over 3,000 people die worldwide from car accidents each day.
  • About 115 collision-related deaths occur in the U.S. each day — that’s one every 13 minutes.
  • Washington State saw over 100,000 collisions in 2010, 460 of which resulted in at least one fatality.

Luckily, Washington state is seeing a downward trend for traffic collisions. Be aware of the harm you can cause with a motor vehicle, and hopefully these figures will continue to fall.

How to Avoid a Collision

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

We see the aftermath of many serious collisions at our Seattle body shop, many of which could have been avoided by these safe-driving tips.

1. Check Twice. Whether you’re changing lanes, emerging from a stop sign, driving across a crosswalk, everything you do while driving should be checked twice to avoid a collision. Don’t only rely on your mirrors to check for traffic — turn your head to check blind spots.

2. Look Behind You. Give a good look behind you while backing out of a parking spot or reversing. Not everyone will immediately blow their horn, so protect yourself and others by scanning behind you.

3. Look for Pedestrians. Many pedestrians obey crosswalk rules, but the occasional jaywalker may catch you by surprise. Keep a keen eye out for crosswalks and pedestrians to avoid dangerously hitting your breaks or seriously injuring people on foot.

4. Look for an “out.” Not everyone is a safe and cautious driver, so be aware of the cars around you to reduce risk of collision. Always have an out, or a plan of diversion. This simply means preparing yourself for another driver cutting you off, slamming their brakes, or unknowingly turning into a lane you’re occupying.

We always encourage drivers to give their undivided to the road, but in the event of an accident, keep us in mind at Greenwood Auto Body in Seattle for honest and quality repairs.

Cell Phones and Texting While Driving

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

Cell phone use in the car is popular among younger generations, and despite the number of collisions it’s been causing, the trend is on the rise. Talking on the phone and texting are the two leading distractions, but iPods, GPS, and other portable electronics are becoming common culprits also. A 2010 CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) analysis detailed cell phone use while driving by surveying respondents from the U.S. and Europe.

Over 25% of U.S. respondents stated that they regularly use their cell phones while driving, most of whom fell into the age group 18-39. Texting was also dominated by this age group, with 9% of the overall count claiming to do so regularly. Statistics gathered in Europe varied, but the U.S. out-scored everyone in distracted driving.

Although states are successively implementing new laws to prevent cell phone use while driving, people are still having a hard time tucking them away. In 2009, nearly 1,000 deaths and 24,000 injuries were attributed to cell phone use. Our Seattle body shop, Greenwood Collision, reminds you to drive safely and attentively to avoid accidents like these.