Have you ever been rear-ended while waiting for a red light to turn green at an intersection?

Well, you are not alone. According to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board, of the over 7 million traffic accidents happening each year in the United States, about 42% fall under rear-end collisions. Most of them are minor fender benders, that produce in most cases superficial damage to the rear-ended vehicle, like a cracked tail light or scratched bumper. But unfortunately, even minor rear-end accidents can cause more serious, underlying problems to your car that you may not discover for a long period of time, the kind of problems that could put your safety, and that of your family, in danger. So, without further to do,

Here are the most common underlying problems caused by rear-end accidents.
1. Trunk Complications
There are many problems that fall under this category, trunk-related problems that can be caused by a rear-end accident, even when your car looks Ok, like:
LID POPS OPEN
You could be cruising on the highway minding your own business one day and the trunk lid suddenly opens, blocking your rear view.
THE LID CAN NOT BE LOCKED
This is very common and extremely inconvenient, especially if you must get going or when you can’t be keeping an eye on your car in a neighborhood where there is a chance your car might be broken into.
WATER LEAKS
Rear-end accidents can damage your trunk lid’s seal, which will allow water from the rain or a car wash to drip inside your trunk which can be very harmful if not discovered early.
OPENING NIGHTMARES
This one will drive you crazy, you’re standing in the parking lot and you have tried every trick in the book while exhausting your patience but still can’t get the trunk to open with your car key or the trunk release button inside your car.
Neglected trunk malfunctions can cause your car’s resale value to go down, so after a fender bender, make sure your next stop is at a reliable body shop to have the problem diagnosed and fixed, if you are in Lowell or any nearby town, your spot is Patriots Auto Body on 11 Spring Ave.

2. Misalignment of your Wheels
if your wheels are misaligned, you’ll feel these driving abnormalities:
CAR TRACKS UNEVENLY DOWN THE ROAD
This will make riding thru winding roads extremely hard.
THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS UNSTABLE
If your car seems wobbly and your wheels are tending to move unsteadily from side to side it Could interfere with your ability to swerve if you need to.
COMMON VIBRATIONS
This is extremely bad and will make your car drives uncomfortable for you and your passengers. In addition to being in constant danger, you will experience uneven tire wear that needs to be replaced which will cost you money.

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS
Even a small fender bender or a minor collision can cause the wires, that comprise the various electrical systems that keep your car operating, to be loose. As time passes by, loose wires can affect your car’s:
SOUND SYSTEM FAILURE
We all like to have our stereo system to be operational as no one likes to drive without their audio system not working.
BROKEN TAIL LIGHTS
If your car’s tail lights are broken or cracked, then it will be impossible for the drivers behind your car to see your tail lights when you’re reducing your speed or coming to a stop. All these unpredicted electrical problems are legitimate reasons to have the electric system checked out at a Patriots Auto Body shop if your car gets rear-ended.
Frame Bending
Your car’s bumpers are made only from plastic. If your bumper gets dented or cracked because of a fender bender, it could be that the damage may reach the frame of your car. Even a minor collision can damage your frame. Unrepaired frame damage can lead to many problems.
AIRBAG SENSORS WARNING
This is one of the most important lights you can see on your dashboard. A car’s airbag system consists of a few sensors that can fail or malfunction and needs to be replaced at Patriots Auto Body.
Don’t Underestimate a Rear-End Collision If your car is part of any type of rear-end accident, even when you can’t spot any damage, don’t take a chance with underlying problems that can put your safety in danger. Instead, you have to bring it to a dependable auto body shop to have the damage assessed. Patriots Auto Body shop technicians have the expertise and tools to find and fix every damage so you can get back on the road safely again.