SPONSORED: Is it safe to drive your vehicle after a car accident?

The aftermath of a car accident is pretty stressful, to say the least. You have to deal with any injuries you may have sustained, damage to your car, police reports, insurance claims, repair shops… the list can get longer and longer and your stress level just keeps on rising. We get it and we want to help, which is why we sat down with our auto body repair shop to find out one of the most important things of all when it comes to car accident aftermath - whether or not you should drive your car after getting into a wreck.

Five things to ask yourself after a car accident

Our Collision Center experts gave us a list of five questions you should ask yourself before driving your N Charlotte Toyota away from the scene of a car accident - check it out!

Question #1: Can I lock my hood?

It’s critical that you check your N Charlotte Toyota’s hood before you hit the road. Can it close AND lock into place? If the answer is no, then you need to call a tow truck. Driving with an unlatched hood can result in another collision and injury to you and your passengers if the hood flies up while you’re driving.

Question #2: Is the windshield intact?

How’s your windshield looking? If it’s severely cracked, you should definitely call a tow truck. It’s not safe to drive with a badly cracked windshield because the structural integrity has been compromised, meaning it can blow in on you. Even if the cracking is minor, you should still schedule repairs or replacement as soon as you possibly can.

Question #3: Is the car leaking fluids?

Take a look under the car - is it leaking fluids? If you see puddles or a steady leak underneath, you need to call a tow truck to get you where you’re going (like our N Charlotte Toyota Collision Center). Any leak can interfere with how your engine functions and possibly cause expensive damage to it.

Question #4: Are my wheels still aligned?

Check to see if your wheels are still aligned. It should be pretty obvious if they’re not - your car will pull or drift to one side of the road. If the pulling is bad, call a tow truck instead of trying to drive to our N Charlotte Toyota body shop - this could cause you to get into yet another car accident.

Question #5: Do my headlights and taillights work?

Also make sure that both your headlights and taillights work before you leave the scene of a car accident. Your headlights are critical for ensuring that you can see when the lighting is dim, and that other drivers can see you. You need your taillights to indicate your movements to other drivers so they know when you’re braking or turning.

Get your ride back on the road with Toyota of N Charlotte

Have questions or need assistance after a car accident? Call us! Toyota of N Charlotte is open seven days a week at (704) 659-2040 and we’re conveniently located just off I-77 at exit 23.