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What to do in
case of an Accident
One in eight is
pretty high!
According to the National Safety Council, one in
every eight drivers will be involved in a motor vehicle accident
this year. That may mean you! Are you prepared? Would you know what
to do and what questions to ask?
Here is a list of
11 easy steps to remember, as compiled by the National Safety
Council:
- Stop your
vehicle if it is clear, safe and legal.
- Move the
vehicle out of the traveled roadway, if it is clear, safe and
legal. (In some states it is against the law to move the vehicle
from the place where the accident occurred. Check the ordinance in
your area.)
- Turn off the
ignitions of the cars involved.
- Make a first
aid check of all persons involved in the accident.
- Call the
police and, if necessary, emergency medical services.
- Mark the
scene of the accident with flares or reflective
triangles.
- Gather the
names* of all persons in the motor vehicles and people who
witnessed the accident.
- Make a quick
diagram of where the vehicle occupants were seated and
indicate the vehicles' direction of travel and lane. Also note the
date, time and weather conditions.
- Ask to see
the other driver's license* and write down the number.
- Exchange
insurance company information. DO NOT discuss "fault" or make
statements about the accident to anyone but the police.
- Get a copy of
the police report of the accident from the local
precinct.
*Use this
accident
report form to help you gather the required information.
This information taken from the
CertifiedFirst
website
A Collision is Stressful, But Choosing a Quality Collision
Repair Facility Doesn't Have to Be.
If you have been
involved in a collision, it's important that you contact your insurance
agent immediately. If your vehicle needs repair, ask your insurance
agent to refer you to a Gold Class Professionals collision repair
business to properly repair your vehicle.
Many insurance
companies are also Gold Class Professionals and have the knowledge and
understanding to effectively communicate with the collision repair
business that will repair your vehicle. This means less hassle and
better service for you!
Selecting a Collision Repair
Business
Here are a few other things that will help you
to make an informed decision:
Look for decals, patches or
certificates indicating advanced training by organizations such as I-CAR
or technician certification by ASE (National Institute for Automotive
Service Excellence).
Look for trade association membership signs,
which can indicate that the shop is keeping up to date with the latest
repair procedures.
Look for a clean, friendly and professional
atmosphere.
Employees should be able to provide you with a complete
breakdown of the work completed and what parts were replaced. Before you
take your newly repaired vehicle home, look it over
carefully.
Check all the electronic accessories.
Pay attention to details such as making sure the doors, hood and
trunk lid open and close smoothly.
In sunlight, examine freshly
painted areas for a good color match.
When driving your car home,
listen for any unusual noises and test the handling.
If you're not
satisfied, report it to the collision repair business immediately. If
you feel they are not cooperating fully, remember that you are not in
this by yourself. Your insurance company and the various collision
repair business trade associations are in business for your
protection.
I-CAR Gold Class Professionals have the training and
knowledge to properly inspect and repair your vehicle after a collision.
They are trained to detect hidden damage to your vehicle and help your
vehicle look and drive as well as it did before the collision.
This information taken from the I-CAR
website
What do the
letters R&R mean on my estimate?
It isn't always easy to
understand "repair shop" language. That is why we have provided a
useful glossary
of "repair shop" terms to help you with those confusing words that
you might encounter on your way to having your car
repaired.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Aftermarket Parts
- Automotive
replacement parts that were not made by the original equipment
manufacturer.
Air-drying
- The process of
drying fully during exposure to air at normal
temperatures.
Alternate Term(s): Drying
Basecoat ( BC ) / Clear
- A paint system
in which the colour effect is given by a highly pigmented
basecoat. Gloss and durability are given by a subsequent
clearcoat.
Bench
- A heavy metal
platform used to restore a vehicle's structural geometry to
factory specifications. This is done by securing a portion of the
vehicle to the platform, then pulling appropriate areas of the
vehicle into place using special clamps, chains and hydraulic
winches.
Aternate Term(s): Frame Rack, Frame Machine
Betterment
- Term used to
describe an item replaced due to an accident that has some wear.
The practice is often applied to tires and batteries that are
several years old. If a battery has used up 3/4 of its life, the
Insurance company will pro-rate the item’s cost and in this case
will pay 1/4 of the cost to replace the battery and will ask the
insured or claimant to pay the remaining 3/4. The premise being
that the Insurance Company is only obligated to return the vehicle
to its pre-accident condition.
Chip
Guard
- A chip
resistant, protective coating normally applied to lower panels to
avoid sharp stones etc. chipping the paint finish.
Chipping
- The removal of
paint from a substrate by means of impact of sharp stones
etc.
Clear
or Clear coat
- The clearcoat
imparts gloss and protection to a basecoat clearcoat system. It is
essentially a pigment-free paint.
Coat
- A single layer
of paint on a surface.
Compounding
- The action of
using an abrasive polishing material either by hand or by machine.
Alternate Term(s): Polishing
Corrosion
- Degradation of
the metal substrate by oxidation. That is the formation of an
oxide layer on the metal surface. This process requires that the
metal surface be exposed to oxygen, and is favoured in the
presence of water. In the case of iron and steel, corrosion is
often referred to as rusting.
Degreasing
- The removal from
the substrate of contaminants which would otherwise give rise to
surface defects and performance failures. E.g. poor
adhesion.
Detailing
- Final cleaning
both inside and outside of vehicle, application of pinstripes,
removal of overspray from underhood, trunk lids etc. as well as
polishing
Direct
Gloss ( DG )
- A topcoat paint
which contains pigment and resin, and gives the required gloss
level without the need of the application of a clearcoat. A DG
Paint film has good weathering and durability
characteristics.
DRP
- Acronym for
Direct Repair Program. These programs often involve a contractual
agreement between an Autobody Repair Center and an Insurance
Company. For the most part, the agreements set the rules of repair
and standardized procedures such as warranties, billing practices
and record keeping.
Drying
- The process of
change of a coating from the liquid to the solid state by
evaporation of solvent, chemical reaction of the binding medium,
or a combination of these processes. When drying takes place
during exposure to air at normal temperatures, it is called
'air-drying'; if it can be accelerated by the application of a
moderate degree of heat it is called 'Force-drying' (or
Low-bake), as distinct from High-bake.
Alternate
Term(s): Binder, Air-drying, Force-drying, Stoving, Low-bake,
High-bake
Edge-to-edge repair
- A term denoting
a complete panel repair as opposed to a touch-up or spot repair.
Alternate Term(s): Spot repair
Enamel
- A topcoat paint
which forms a film by chemical crosslinking of its component
molecules during the cure.
FEA
- Acronym for
Front End Alignment. Generally appears as a line item on a repair
estimate or repair order. It will sometimes be accompanied by 4-W
or 4-Wheel alignment. This simply means that the vehicle needs to
have all wheels aligned.
Gloss
- The degree to
which a painted surface possesses the property of reflecting light
in a mirror-like manner.
Hazardous Waste
- Any unusable
by-product derived from the repair and/or painting process that
cannot be disposed of through normal waste disposal streams. These
products can be potentially harmful to the environment and require
special handling as well as professional disposal. Federal, State
and Local laws apply and may differ in their scope.
LKQ
- Acronym for Like
Kind and Quality. Refers to a used part salvaged from another
vehicle. It is inspected by the seller and re-inspected by the
shop upon receipt and accepted if it is deemed appropriate.
Masking
- Temporary
covering of areas not to be painted.
Metallic
- A term used for
finishes incorporating fine metallic particles, usually aluminium,
in the paint.
Mica
- A naturally
occurring mineral, based on silica, which after treatment, is used
as an effect pigment in coatings. Their special property is that
light falling on a mica particle, depending on the angle of
illumination, reflects the light with a change in colour. Because
of this they are sometimes referred to as pearls.
Alternate Term(s): Pearl
Motor
manufacturer's primer
- An undercoat
system applied by the manufacturer to the metal surface of a
commercial vehicle or to new automobile panel parts to give
protection during transit, storage, etc. and which, depending on
its type, age and condition, may be able to support the finishing
system. It may consist of more than just a simple primer coat.
Alternate Term(s): OE Primer
Pearlescent
- See "Mica".
Alternate Term(s): Mica
Pigment
- The colouring
matter in paint. A pigment is different from a dye in that a
pigment is insoluble in the media in which it is used.
Prep
- The process of
washing, degreasing and lightly abrading a panel prior to applying
paint.
Alternate Term(s): Prep Work
Pretreatment (metal)
- The chemical
treatment of unpainted metal surfaces before painting, for
enhanced adhesion and corrosion resistance.
Primer
- The first layer
of a coating system. Applied to an unpainted surface. Its' role is
to protect the substrate and to prepare it for the application of
a surfacer or topcoat. It must therefore have above all, excellent
adhesion to the substrate and to the coating which will
follow.
Primer-Sealer
- An undercoat
which improves the adhesion of the topcoat, and which seals old
painted surfaces that have been sanded.
Primer/surfacer primer/filler
- A pigmented
composition which acts as a primer and at the same time has
filling properties such that it may be sanded to provide a smooth
surface for the colour coat that is to follow.
Putty
- A plastic
material with a high mineral filler content - used for filling
deep holes or wide gaps.
R&I
- Acronym for
Remove and Install. Refers to a part removed from the customer's
damaged vehicle to be saved and reinstalled after the repair has
been completed.
R&R
- Acronym for
Remove and Replace. Refers to a part removed from the customer's
damaged vehicle that cannot be acceptably repaired. It is replaced
with a new part.
Repair
Authorization
- The point at
which a Consumer authorizes the repair to their vehicle (and in
some cases contingent upon the Insurance Company settlement
process).
Rubbing compound
- An abrasive
paste that smoothes and polishes paint films.
Alternate
Term(s): Polishing compound
Sanding
- An abrasive
process used to level a coated surface prior to the application of
a further coat.
Alternate Term(s): Flatting
Sealer
- An undercoat
which improves the adhesion of the topcoat, and which seals old
painted surfaces that have been sanded.
Solid
colour
- A coating which
contains coloured pigments only, i.e., does not contain pigments
such as aluminums and micas.
Solvent
- A liquid,
usually volatile, which is used to reduce viscosity. This is
essential in both manufacturing and application processes.
Solvents evaporate during application and drying of paint and
therefore do not become a part of the dried film. In conventional
coatings the solvents are organic compounds (Alcohols, Esters and
Ketones) whilst in waterborne systems there is a mix of organic
solvents with water.
Substrate
- The
uncoated/unpainted surface.
Supplement
- Additional
repairs needed to complete the repair that were not identified on
the original estimate
Tack
rag
- Cotton fabric,
such as cheesecloth, lightly impregnated with a resin, used to
remove dust from a surface after rubbing down and prior to further
painting. Tack rags should be stored in an airtight container to
conserve their tackiness.
Tape
marking
- The imprint
caused by applying masking tape on to a newly-applied paint film
before it has time to harden.
Thinner
- A blend of
volatile organic solvents added to the paint to reduce it to the
correct viscosity for application.
Three
Coat colour
- A topcoat colour
which consists of 3 parts, a basecoat, a midcoat and a clear.
Alternate Term(s): Tri-coat
Tint
and Blend
- The process of
mixing toners to match the existing paint finish, then blending or
overlapping the color into the adjacent panel to avoid color match
problems.
Tinter
- Any coloured
pigment or paint mixture used to make small adjustments in colour,
or to the mix the colour in the first place from a mixing scheme.
Alternate Term(s): Base colour
Top
coat
- The final layers
of a coating system whose role is primarily decorative. However
the topcoat often imparts protection to ultra violet light present
in sunlight.
Touch-up
- A localised
repair usually confined to the smallest area possible (for
example, repairs due to stone chips damage).
Two-pack
- A paint or
lacquer supplied in two parts which must be mixed together in the
correct proportions before use. The mixture will then remain
usable for a limited period only.
U.V.
Absorbers
- Chemicals added
to paint to absorb Ultraviolet radiation present in
sunlight.
Ultra
Violet Light
- That portion of
the spectrum which is largely responsible for the degradation of
paint films. Invisible to the eye, causes sunburn.
Undercoats
- A first coat;
primer, sealer or surfacer.
Unibody
- The structural
support found in most late model vehicles.
VIN
- Acronym for
Vehicle Identification Number. This is a unique number that
identifies your vehicle. Although its primary purpose is to
identify your vehicle, it often contains important information
concerning the equipment and options that were installed on your
vehicle at the factory. This information allows the Repair Center
to order the correct parts for your vehicle. Any professional
estimate or Repair Order will have this number on it.
This information taken from the
CertifiedFirst
website
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