Owning a vehicle is amazing. The freedom and convenience that you have when you own a car would be unimaginable at the beginning of the 1900s. The royalty of only a few centuries ago, with all of their power, wealth and influence, couldn’t travel across the country in a matter of hours or days
Since personal vehicles are so common, it is easy to forget the magnitude of how powerful this technology is. Consider this list of benefits that you enjoy if you have a vehicle of your own.
- Freedom of Movement
- Convenience (as opposed to waiting for public transit or rides from friends and family)
- Safety (in case of the need to get to a hospital in an emergency)
- Flexibility (in your work and leisure activities)
- Saves Time (by being able to leave at on your schedule)
- Travel (anywhere there is a road, you can drive there)
This is only a partial list of the benefits that come with owning a vehicle. Obviously, there are costs to owning a vehicle but for the vast majority, these expenses are more than worth it.
Accidents Happen (Auto Scratch Touch-up Paint May Be Needed)
Another reality that comes with driving a vehicle is the ever-present possibility of getting into an accident or collision. This could be with another vehicle, an object, an animal or a person. Ideally, this would never happen but if you drive regularly, the odds are that you will face this situation at some point.
When this happens, you may need to get your hands dirty and pick up a DIY car paint kit to do a DIY car paint repair. Whether you need a little bit of auto scratch touch-up paint, a bumper touch-up kit or a comprehensive OEM automotive paint repair, accidents will require some work
How to Avoid the Need for OEM Automotive Paint Repairs
First things first, try and avoid accidents. Not getting into a collision removes the need for any DIY car paint repairs. How can you do this? Know where and how the most common types of accidents happen! By knowing when these incidents are likely to happen, you can be more aware and hopefully avoid the need to use a DIY car paint kit.
Since you are statistically likely to get into an accident with your vehicle, knowing where and when the most common accidents happen is an important tool in avoiding unwanted and unintended damage to your car.
1. Parking Lot Damage
- How does this happen?
Parking is a fact of life when you are driving your car. There are over 1 billion parking spots in America alone and it is in these parking lots that you are most likely to get damage to your car. These are typically door dings, rear-end collisions and low-speed impacts.
- What kind of damage is done?
While getting into any type of accident isn’t ideal, the benefit of having damage done to your OEM automotive paint in a parking lot is that it almost always happens at a low speed. This means that scratches, bumper damage and small body damage can be expected.
- What can you do about it?
2. Single Vehicle Accidents
- How does this happen?
Single vehicle accidents are incidents that involve only one vehicle. This includes everything from driving into the pillar in front of your home to driving into the ditch on the highway.
- What kind of damage is done?
Single vehicle accidents are so broad that it is hard to pinpoint exactly the type of damage that is typical. Often, there is at least bumper or paint damage but it can be far worse if the accident happened at higher speeds.
- What can you do about it?
3. Rear-End Collisions
- How does this happen?
Rear-end collisions are most often the result of distracted driving. Cellphones, other occupants and many other factors can lead to the driver not paying enough attention to the road. Rear-end collisions most frequently happen at low speeds but they can also happen at high speeds on highways and other main roadways.
- What kind of damage is done?
Rear-end collisions always damage the bumper. Whether you are the vehicle that got hit or the vehicle that did the hitting, you are going to need a bumper touch-up kit. Rear-end collisions can also lead to door, windshield and frame damage.
- What can you do about it?
While you may not need a professional repair shop to repair the damage from a rear-end collision, you will definitely need to pick up a bumper touch-up kit, a DIY car paint kit or some OEM automotive paint to fix it.
To avoid these types of events in the future, make sure that you have enough space between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Also, avoid being distracted by phones, passengers or other types of distraction.
4. Merging Collisions
- How does this happen?
Merging collisions happen when you, or someone else on the road, is looking to merge into a different lane. The crossing of lanes, particularly when there are other vehicles present, is the perfect environment for collisions to happen.
- What kind of damage is done?
The difference between an OEM automotive paint repair and a car that is destined for the body shop is always the speed at which the vehicles collide. Merging accidents typically happen at higher speeds which means that you are more likely to need more repairs than your typical bumper touch-up kit or DIY car paint kit can handle.
- What can you do about it?
To repair merging accident damage, you may be able to use auto scratch touch-up paint or a DIY car paint repair. If the damage includes dents to side panels and other areas, you could do the work yourself if you are comfortable (it may require special supplies or kits) or you can take it to a professional body shop.
To avoid these types of accidents, make sure to obey all yield signs when merging and be hyper-aware in high-traffic areas for other vehicles.
5. Intersection Accidents
- How does this happen?
Logically speaking, intersections, due to the sheer volume of cross-traffic, are bound to be a hotspot for collisions. The reason for these accidents varies greatly but often, impatience and distraction are leading causes of intersections accidents. Unfortunately, intersection accidents can be very dangerous, even deadly.
- What kind of damage is done?
Damage from these types of accidents is often moderate to severe. They happen at mid to high speeds and can involve all sections of your vehicle. Bumpers, side and door panels, windshields and interior damage are all common in intersection accidents. T-bone collisions and upturned vehicles are common sights at intersections accidents so it is best to avoid them.
- What can you do about it?
Rarely will a DIY car paint repair kit or a bumper touch-up kit solve the problem but if you are used to working on your car, you may be able to repair your body panels and repaint using OEM automotive paint. If you can get away from an intersection accident and only need to use auto scratch touch-up paint, consider yourself lucky.
To avoid intersection accidents, you need to be aware and vigilant about the vehicles in the incoming and crossing lanes. People can try to beat a red light or simply be distracted and fail to stop. Those drivers should be paying attention and if an accident happens, they would be liable but it is best (and safest) if you avoid that situation completely. Get into the habit of paying close attention to all incoming and crossing traffic to avoid the dreaded intersection collision.
TheTouchUpShop.com has your Repairs Covered
Life happens, and so do accidents. If you happen to get into an incident with your vehicle and want to tackle the damage yourself, TheTouchUpShop.com has everything you need to do the necessary repairs.
From bumper touch-up kits to every OEM automotive paint available under the sun, TheTouchUpShop.com has what you need, when you need it. Don’t attempt your DIY car paint repairs or buy a DIY car paint kit without checking out TheTouchUpShop.com. We have the supplies you want and the kits you didn’t know you needed. Reach out today so you can get started on your car paint repairs, the right way.