Any car accident involves quite a lot of force. Cars today are built to withstand pretty significant accidents, but just because they don't show their damage doesn't mean the damage isn't there. Here are a few common types of damage that may not be visible to the naked eye.
1. Car Alignment
Cars frequently drive away from an accident only to discover that their alignment is shot. Alignment is one of the most finicky issues when it comes to a vehicle: even a slow speed collision in a parking lot can lead to significant alignment problems. Following a car accident, a car's alignment should always be thoroughly checked. If not fixed, car alignment can slowly get worse can cause a lot of damage to the system as a whole -- in addition to making the vehicle more difficult to drive.
2. Frame Damage
The frame of modern vehicles is designed to "crumple" upon a collision. That means that even during a relatively small collision, there could be ripples and issues within the frame of the car. It may be impossible to see this damage without a thorough inspection by a professional. Crumple damage means that another accident could be even more dangerous, as the car won't have the same structural integrity.
3. Leaks
An accident can cause breaks and leaks that won't be noticeable until the leak has become substantial enough. Both tubing and containers can be ripped, torn, or otherwise punctured quite easily -- and it could be days before they leak enough that it's obvious. These issues will often require a professional to track down, as the leak could come from anywhere in the system.
4. Lights
The delicate exterior lights of a vehicle can be shattered or blown out during a collision. Of course, in modern cars, there can be dozens of lights and it may not always be possible to determine which light is being mentioned by the "check light" dashboard. It's still important to get this fixed, because otherwise the "check lights" light will still be on, and you may not be alerted if a more serious light breaks.
Car crashes can be far more damaging than it at first seems. There are many hidden things that can go wrong with a vehicle that could make the car more dangerous to drive -- or that could be expensive to fix. Following a car accident, you should always have a thorough inspection. Suburban Auto Body can help.