Fender benders may not seem too dangerous, but they can be a lot more impactful than you may realize. Take a recent case in Texas where a police cruiser was rear-ended by another vehicle. The two officers inside the car sustained minor injuries.
Even though it may not seem that bad, you should still treat a fender bender very seriously. Take the same steps you would for any other car accident. You need to check on all involved parties and contact your insurance provider about the incident. You should attempt to contact the police if there are any injuries. The consequences of driving off could result in serious consequences.
Damage to your vehicle
You may see a scratch on your bumper and think it is not worth getting your insurance agent involved. However, if you need to completely replace your bumper, then you can expect to pay at least $900. Even if you only need to repair it, you are still looking at between $400 and $500 total. This does not even include other forms of damage that can take place. For example, you may not be able to see at first that your car’s suspension system has sustained damage. You may only need to spend a couple hundred dollars to swap out a shock absorber, but if you need to replace the whole thing, then you can expect a $5,000 bill. Never assume a small accident resulted in minimal damage.
Hidden injuries
Those cops mentioned earlier were motionless in their car, and they still had to go to a hospital. You may not notice an injury right after a collision, but you may have sustained neck or back injuries without realizing. If you wait a couple weeks until symptoms develop, then you may not be able to prove to your insurance agency the injuries occurred from the fender bender. Get medical exams taken care of right after the incident.
