While slowing down or stopping at an intersection, the car behind you may not have been paying attention and rammed the back of your vehicle. After examining the rear-end, you may believe that the minor damage you found does not warrant an immediate trip to the body shop. However, there are a couple of reasons why you should have your car's body inspected after even a minor rear-end collision.
1. Impact Could Have Damaged the Trunk
One reason why you should have your car checked out after a minor rear-end collision is that the impact could have damaged the trunk. The trunk hood may have become bent, which would break the seal and allow water to pour into your trunk.
Or, the latch could have been damaged, making it difficult or impossible to fully shut the trunk. If the trunk were to become unlatched while driving, the hood may fly up and allow the things inside to fall out. It could also block your view out of the rear window.
2. Collision May Have Bent the Frame
Another possible impact that the collision could have had on your car is that the force of the other car crashing into the rear may have bent the frame. The frame, especially the area located in the back of your car, is a key part of your car's safety feature called the crumple zone.
Especially in recent years, cars are designed to have a zone where the frame is meant to bend during a collision. This crumple zone absorbs most of the impact during a collision to help keep you and your passengers safe.
However, once the frame has been bent even slightly, the structural integrity of the zone has already been compromised. If you were to be involved in a collision in the future without having the damaged frame repaired, the zone may not absorb as much of the impact, which leads to the possibility of you or someone riding with you being injured. It is better to have the frame looked at and repaired before this possibility comes up.
Even if the damage to your car does not appear to be more than a dent, there may be hidden damage that could affect the vehicle's structural integrity. As soon as possible, take your car to an auto body repair shop to have them inspect the damage and discuss with you what needs to be done to make the car safe to drive again.
