The possibility of being involved in an auto collision is present for everyone who drives. Even the most skilled and careful driver on the planet runs this risk due to the simple fact that there is no guarantee that other drivers sharing the road are also skilled and careful. While vehicles can be driven away from the overwhelming majority of accidents, is it a good idea to do so? A vehicle with some types of damage could become further damaged or even pose a safety risk to everyone on the road.
Below are a few tips to help make the decision between driving a vehicle away from an accident and calling for a tow.
Visible Damage
After a collision, walk around the vehicle and check that no body panels or mechanical components are hanging loose from the car. Not only can such things lead to larger repair bills as the pieces fall off altogether, they can also cause handling problems or represent a hazard that other vehicles could hit.
Other Signs
Smoke, leaking fluids and strange noises are all signs that something is mechanically wrong. While, in some cases, these things do not represent imminent disaster, they usually do. When faced with such symptoms, avoid the potential disaster altogether by calling for a tow service.
When in Doubt
While visible damage to the vehicle is obvious, those other signs of damage can be more ephemeral. Short of having the experienced nose, ears and mind of a mechanic to consult, there is no way to determine for sure that such symptoms are real and not a figment of a paranoid mind. Is the vehicle really making a strange new noise? Is that the odor of gas in the air? To a shaken up person who was just involved in a collision, it would not be surprising to imagine such things.
If there is no one present to consult about these possibly phantom symptoms, the safest choice is the best. Calling for a tow represents a predetermined set cost, while ignoring the signs could represent a significant risk of a larger repair bill or another accident. When in doubt, make the call.
If your vehicle has been involved in a collision, make the call to All Makes Collision Centre in Calgary at [sc:tel-allmakes] immediately to get on track to having it back in perfect condition.