Can you safely drive your car after a car accident?

 Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident is a feat all on its own. You have to deal with damages to your car and finding a trustworthy repair shop, take care of any injuries that you may have sustained in the collision, file a report with law enforcement, report the accident and file a claim with insurance... the list of to-dos can get long pretty quickly, but we've got one more thing to add to it and it should definitely be at the top. You have to decide if it's safe to drive your car away from the scene of the car accident. 

How do you know if it's safe to hit the road after a car accident? We sat down with our Toyota of Orlando auto body repair techs to come up with a list of questions you should ask yourself before you get behind the wheel, and here's what we came up with. 

Five questions to ask yourself after a car accident 

Question #1: Can the hood close and latch? 

Can the hood of your car not only close but also latch? This is a make-or-break question. If it can't latch closed and stay shut, then it could fly up while you're driving. This can not only shatter your windshield and cause injury to you and your passengers but also cause you to get into ANOTHER car accident. If it can't latch closed, you need to call a tow truck. 

Question #2: Is the windshield intact? 

How's the windshield looking? If there's just a small crack or two in it and nothing is spiderwebbing out or causing a hole in the glass, then you should be OK to drive, but schedule a windshield repair or replacement as soon as possible. If the cracks are large, there's spiderwebbing, or you have any holes in the glass, the structural integrity of your car's windshield has been severely compromised and you need to call a tow truck to get it to Toyota of Orlando's auto body repair shop. 

Question #3: Do you see fluids leaking under the car? 

Take a peek under the car - do you see any fluids leaking? If you see a steady flow or large puddles of anything, it's a good idea to have a tow truck take you where you need to go. A leak may not seem like a big deal but if vital fluids are leaking out, it could greatly impact your car's performance and also hurt your engine. 

Question #4: Are your headlights and taillights working? 

 Test your headlights and taillights before you head out. Your taillights are critical to safety; after all, they let the car behind you know when you're braking and also when you're turning. Your headlights light your way at night and also let other drivers see your car. Make sure both work before you hit the road. 

Question #5: Are your wheels still aligned? 

Check your wheel alignment before you leave the scene of the car accident. If your car is drifting or pulling to the side, then the alignment is off and you need to bring it to Toyota of Orlando to have it fixed ASAP. However, if the pulling is so bad that you're fighting to keep your car on the road, you're at risk of damaging your vehicle AND getting into another accident, so call a tow truck. 

Get help after a car accident at Toyota of Orlando 

Have questions or need help after a car accident? Toyota of Orlando is always here to help. Call us at (407) 298-6006!