Is your car totaled if the airbags deploy?

Have you ever heard someone say that if a car's airbags deploy, the vehicle is automatically totaled? It's not always true, but it's a pretty common misconception. We sat down with the experts at the Toyota of Orlando Collision Center to get the facts behind airbag deployment and what it means for your car insurance, vehicle, and safety down the road. 

What happens if your car's airbags deploy? 

Before we discuss what happens after your car's airbags deploy, let's quickly review what being "totaled" or a "total loss" means. Basically, this is when your car insurance company decides that the repairs the car needs will cost more than the actual cash value of the car. In this instance, it's not worth it to put the money into the vehicle and they'd rather cut you a check that you can use as a down payment on a new vehicle. 

Car insurance companies also have to follow state total loss threshold laws. In Florida, for example, the threshold is 80%. So if the damage and subsequent necessary repair costs for your vehicle exceed 80% of your car's value, the insurance company has to deem it totaled or a total loss. 

Now that we're clear on the mechanics of a total loss, let's talk about what happens when your car's airbags deploy. Many drivers automatically assume that if the airbags deploy, the car is totaled. However, there are a few different factors that play into the end result, according to our Orlando Toyota Collision experts. 

• The cost of repairs and the value of the car are the two main determining factors. If the cost of the repairs to the car after an accident is going to exceed the cash value of the car (or the state threshold), it's a total loss. The reason so many people associate airbag deployment with total loss is that typically if the car accident was bad enough to deploy the airbags, there's going to be a lot of other damage to your vehicle. 

• Your car's age can also play a determining role in whether or not it's totaled after your airbags deploy. Older vehicles have less value so they're more likely to meet that total loss threshold if they have a fair amount of damage and deployed airbags. 

• If you get hit by another driver and they're determined to be at fault, their insurance will have to pay to replace your car's airbags. However, the total loss threshold still applies. 

• Once they have deployed, your car's airbags should not be used again and should instead be replaced. Reusing old airbags can have consequences - future buyers can sue you if they get into an accident, you can be fined by the state, and your insurance company could refuse coverage. Additionally, if you don't replace the airbags or reuse the old ones, your chances of getting into a fatal accident go up by 30%. 

• Replacing airbags is a time-consuming and expensive process which is why it's such a big deal to car insurance companies. 

Visit Toyota of Orlando for all of your auto repairs after an accident 

Have more questions about a car with deployed airbags, or need auto repairs after an accident? Call Toyota of Orlando today. We're open seven days a week at 3575 Vineland Road, just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall, and you can reach us at (407) 298-0001. 

How to react if your car gets struck by lightning

 If you have lived in Florida over the period of even one summer, you know just how bad those afternoon thunderstorms can be. Torrential rains, high winds, hail, tornadoes... they can be just as alarming as any hurricane and can pop up without much warning. However, one of the most dangerous elements of these storms is the lightning that rolls in with them. And Central Florida - Geneva (east Orlando) specifically - is renowned for its lightning; it's actually the lightning strike capital of the state. Driving in one of these storms can be stressful and today we're looking into what happens and how you should react if your car gets struck by lightning. 

What should you do if your car gets struck by lightning? 

First things first - if your car gets struck by lightning and you're sitting inside of it with the windows closed, you should be fine. The car itself is a hard metal shell and it should deflect the electrical energy around you. That being said, here are the steps to take if your Orlando Toyota gets struck by lightning: 

If you're sitting in the car, immediately pull over and turn your hazard lights on. However, take special care NOT to touch anything that's metal. Plastic is OK, metal is not - electrical current could still be running through it. 

• Call for help (local emergency services) but sit still with your hands in your lap for at least 30 minutes or until help arrives. Again, do not touch anything metal! 
• Once you've safely exited the car, be sure to call your insurance company and report the lightning strike as a claim. You want to file as soon as possible so you can prove the damage is from the strike - physical damage from the strike is easy to prove, but mechanical and electrical can be harder to link to lightning, so don't delay. Your comprehensive coverage should cover the strike. 

If you're out of the car, do not touch it for at least 30 minutes, not even to open it and grab something out. Instead, call emergency services if necessary and also call your insurance company to get the claim started. 

What happens to the vehicle itself when your car gets struck by lightning? 

Lightning can do a number on your car even if you're left unharmed by the strike. Here's some of the damage you might notice on your Orlando Toyota: 

• Electrical system damage. Lightning can destroy computer chips, break electronic devices like your audio system, and melt/fry electrical systems (which can leave your car stranded with no way to get up and running). 
• Deployed airbags. When your car gets struck by lightning it can actually deploy the airbags, believe it or not. Depending on the rest of the damage to your car, it may be declared totaled by the insurance company. 
• Engine damage. Lightning can damage your car's engine and prevent you from being able to start it. 
• A fire. Lightning can easily start a fire in your car, which can lead to costly and even irreparable damage to it. 
• Paint, glass, and plastic damage. Lightning can damage paint, melt plastic, and cause the glass to break on the exterior of your car. 

Have questions or think you need auto repairs after your car gets struck by lightning? Call Toyota of Orlando today. We're open seven days a week at (407) 298-4500 and we're conveniently located just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall at 3575 Vineland Road.