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Tips for Getting Auto Body Work
You use your car to navigate all aspects of your life. You drive to work, you go shopping, you drop the kids off at school, and maybe you even go on road trips sometimes. And you do it all again once it's over. If your car is damaged in an accident, your entire mode of life can be disrupted! It is important that your car gets fixed and you get back to your life.
Surface Repair
Getting a complete paint over is something that can make a huge impact on the look of your car. However, when painting the car, sometimes the surface needs extra attention beforehand. Peeling old paint and sanding the car is often a first step to painting over your car to make it look as good as new!
Dent Repair
State of the art tools and techniques can be used to fix any fractures or indentations, as well as any major collision damages. It is important that it is done by a professional with knowledge and experience to maintain the structural integrity of the automobile.
Steps to Get Your Car Repaired
Bring in your vehicle for an estimate! Before doing anything else, bring your car in so we can give you options and help you to decide on the best course of action.
If you have not already received an insurance estimate, we will provide a detailed estimate of the work that is required. If you have not had your car seen by and evaluated by insurance, we can assist you in filing a claim with your insurance company. And if you need a rental, we will not provide one but help you get one and you can get picked up right here. If you need a ride home from the shop, we will drive you locally.
If your car breaks down on the road, contact us immediately. Towing is available to you as well!
If you have not already received an insurance estimate, we will provide a detailed estimate of the work that is required. If you have not had your car seen by and evaluated by insurance, we can assist you in filing a claim with your insurance company. And if you need a rental, we will not provide one but help you get one and you can get picked up right here. If you need a ride home from the shop, we will drive you locally.
If your car breaks down on the road, contact us immediately. Towing is available to you as well!
Support Local
Supporting local business is not only good for the economy, but can be good for your peace of mind and your wallet as well! Creating a relationship with your local auto body shop will ensure that you will have someone who cares about fixing your car and getting you back up and running.
Avoid stress and disruption in your life! Get your car fixed quickly and efficiently. Every vehicle includes a lifetime warranty of our body repairs, so getting your car fixed with us can ensure that you will not have stress or hassle dealing with these problems in the future.
Give us a call at 856-939-4000 for any questions and to set up a time to bring your car in!
Avoid stress and disruption in your life! Get your car fixed quickly and efficiently. Every vehicle includes a lifetime warranty of our body repairs, so getting your car fixed with us can ensure that you will not have stress or hassle dealing with these problems in the future.
Give us a call at 856-939-4000 for any questions and to set up a time to bring your car in!
Winter Driving Tips
Tips for Getting Auto Body Work
You use your car to navigate all aspects of your life. You drive to work, you go shopping, you drop the kids off at school, and maybe you even go on road trips sometimes. And you do it all again once it's over. If your car is damaged in an accident, your entire mode of life can be disrupted! It is important that your car gets fixed and you get back to your life.
Driving On Ice
Technically, black ice should be called clear ice because it's invisible. It's invisible because it's formed without any air bubbles, making it blend right into the surface it's on. It forms readily on bridges, overpasses, and areas that are less traveled on, or areas with little to no sunlight.
Black ice tends to be found during the early morning and evening. Black ice can sometimes be seen as a shiny or glossy surface on the road. If you see cars ahead of you swerve for no reason, black ice may be the cause.
These things are important to know because detecting black ice early can give you the best advantage: avoiding it!
If your car runs into a patch of black ice, it will react in the same way as any other ice. Here are some tips to keep you and your family safe:
Black ice tends to be found during the early morning and evening. Black ice can sometimes be seen as a shiny or glossy surface on the road. If you see cars ahead of you swerve for no reason, black ice may be the cause.
These things are important to know because detecting black ice early can give you the best advantage: avoiding it!
If your car runs into a patch of black ice, it will react in the same way as any other ice. Here are some tips to keep you and your family safe:
- Practice driving over ice in advance. In a safe environment, such as an empty parking lot, practice. If you have an experienced winter weather driver available, ask them to come help for guidance. If you have ABS (Anti-lock Breaking System) it is important to know how it feels.
- Turn your headlights on in the early afternoon. The glare may help you detect ice on the road.
- Once you hit any ice, keep the steering wheel straight or turn slightly into the way your car is moving. DO NOT try to correct in the other direction, as this will mostly cause your car to swerve and spin out. If you feel your tail end starting to move to one side or the other, gently move your steering wheel in that direction.
- DON'T HIT THE BRAKES. Slow down once you drive over ice by taking your foot off the accelerator pedal. Hitting the breaks is oftentimes a drivers' reaction, but more often than not this will cause your car to spin out of control.
- If possible, shift into a lower gear. A lower gear gives you more control over your vehicle.
- Head for areas of traction if you feel yourself starting to lose control over your car. Although this is not always possible, an area with dirt, sand, or snow coverage will often give you enough traction to avoid slipping.
- If none of these things are possible and your car spins, guide your car into the area with the potential for least impact and lowest damage. This may mean a soft snow bank, an open field, or a even truck lane.
- STAY CALM! At any point in any of the above tips, it is most important to breathe and maintain composure so that you can pay attention to the road and situation around you.
In a Snow Storm
Avoid driving in the snow if at all possible. However, if it's not possible, having four good snow tires can make all the difference in your control of your car.
Drive slowly! Make sure you reduce your speed, and also keep a larger distance than usual between you and any other cars. Your stopping time will be longer and the distance farther.
Drive slowly! Make sure you reduce your speed, and also keep a larger distance than usual between you and any other cars. Your stopping time will be longer and the distance farther.
Check Your Car Ahead of Time!
This may be the most important step:
Ensure that your car is in prime functioning conditioning.
Check your tire tread to avoid slipping on ice. Make sure your windshield wipers are functioning and your wiper fluid level is normal. Test your window defrosters; foggy windows are anything but helpful in a winter driving situation. And always make sure you have gas; you don't want to get stranded somewhere in freezing conditions!
To get your car checked out, or for any more questions and concerns, contact us at 856-939-4000.
Ensure that your car is in prime functioning conditioning.
Check your tire tread to avoid slipping on ice. Make sure your windshield wipers are functioning and your wiper fluid level is normal. Test your window defrosters; foggy windows are anything but helpful in a winter driving situation. And always make sure you have gas; you don't want to get stranded somewhere in freezing conditions!
To get your car checked out, or for any more questions and concerns, contact us at 856-939-4000.
Uh Oh! Hit a Deer!
What Do You Do When You Hit A Deer?
It happens. It actually happens often. It's estimated that there are over 1.5 million deer-related accidents per year, sending 10,000 people to the hospital and causing about 200 deaths per year.
Hitting a deer with your car is bad for all involved; it's bad for you, for your car, and for the deer. So what can we do to avoid the situation and be as safe as possible?
Hitting a deer with your car is bad for all involved; it's bad for you, for your car, and for the deer. So what can we do to avoid the situation and be as safe as possible?
How to Avoid Hitting the Deer
Vigilantly looking out for deer is the first step. Deer are more common in the roads in late fall and winter. They are also nocturnal, so be sure to keep an eye out at night. Where there is one deer, there will most likely be others.
Slow down when you see a deer. If you can avoid hitting a deer, absolutely do so. Some people say that it's best to speed up to avoid a deer possibly going through your windshield and injuring or killing you and other passengers. Do not do this! If you can slow down or stop to avoid the deer, do that first.
Slow down when you see a deer. If you can avoid hitting a deer, absolutely do so. Some people say that it's best to speed up to avoid a deer possibly going through your windshield and injuring or killing you and other passengers. Do not do this! If you can slow down or stop to avoid the deer, do that first.
What to Do if Hitting the Deer is Inevitable
If you end up in a situation where the deer is in the road and it is inevitable, do not swerve into oncoming traffic or into other objects, such as trees. This is the cause of the worst injuries and the most fatalities.
Although a deer can cause extensive damage, it's safer to hit the deer than to run into oncoming traffic or other stable objects. Apply the brakes, hold your steering wheel steady, and continue until your car has come to a complete stop.
Although a deer can cause extensive damage, it's safer to hit the deer than to run into oncoming traffic or other stable objects. Apply the brakes, hold your steering wheel steady, and continue until your car has come to a complete stop.
What to Do After You Hit the Deer
So now there's a deer in the road and you're thinking, now what do I do?
First, move you and your vehicle to a safe place. Pull over off the road and turn on your hazards. Because deer are more active in the evening, you and your car are less likely to be seen at this time. Be careful and stay off the road.
Call the police. Authorities will be able to move the deer if it is blocking traffic and creating a roadblock for other drivers. The police will be able to safely clear the area, as well as properly document an official report for your insurance and records.
Take photographs of the area if possible. Take photos of the deer, of the car, of the road, and all of the area. This can be useful for processing an insurance claim.
Double-check your car. Just because the deer may be down, that doesn't mean that your car didn't take a beating too! Make sure there are no leaks, broken lights, that your tires are functioning properly, and that your steering wheel moves normally, as well as any other obvious safety hazards. Call for a tow if the car seems unsafe at all.
If you are absolutely certain that the deer is dead, you can remove it from the road. However, a frightened and injured deer has very strong legs and sharp hooves and could easily knock you down with it! So it's recommended to avoid touching the deer. The police will be able to properly dispose of it.
But I want to keep the meat!! It's illegal to claim a deer carcass without a permit, but if it is positive that the deer is dead, you can keep a deer carcass after asking a law enforcement officer for a permit.
First, move you and your vehicle to a safe place. Pull over off the road and turn on your hazards. Because deer are more active in the evening, you and your car are less likely to be seen at this time. Be careful and stay off the road.
Call the police. Authorities will be able to move the deer if it is blocking traffic and creating a roadblock for other drivers. The police will be able to safely clear the area, as well as properly document an official report for your insurance and records.
Take photographs of the area if possible. Take photos of the deer, of the car, of the road, and all of the area. This can be useful for processing an insurance claim.
Double-check your car. Just because the deer may be down, that doesn't mean that your car didn't take a beating too! Make sure there are no leaks, broken lights, that your tires are functioning properly, and that your steering wheel moves normally, as well as any other obvious safety hazards. Call for a tow if the car seems unsafe at all.
If you are absolutely certain that the deer is dead, you can remove it from the road. However, a frightened and injured deer has very strong legs and sharp hooves and could easily knock you down with it! So it's recommended to avoid touching the deer. The police will be able to properly dispose of it.
But I want to keep the meat!! It's illegal to claim a deer carcass without a permit, but if it is positive that the deer is dead, you can keep a deer carcass after asking a law enforcement officer for a permit.
How Will This Affect My Insurance?
The sooner you report damage or injuries, the sooner insurance can file and process your claim.
Typically, an accident with an animal is covered under comprehensive insurance. Since this would be a no fault situation, your insurance is often able to take care of it.
If you have collision insurance, and not comprehensive, be certain to check with your insurance agent to see if animal collisions are covered.
And if you are in an area where deer collisions are common, be certain to look into what type of insurance you have before you need it.
For more questions or comments, contact us at 856-939-4000.
Typically, an accident with an animal is covered under comprehensive insurance. Since this would be a no fault situation, your insurance is often able to take care of it.
If you have collision insurance, and not comprehensive, be certain to check with your insurance agent to see if animal collisions are covered.
And if you are in an area where deer collisions are common, be certain to look into what type of insurance you have before you need it.
For more questions or comments, contact us at 856-939-4000.
Auto Accident Guide
The Five Things You Need to Do After an Auto Accident
Being involved in an auto-accident, regardless of who is to blame, is always a terribly unfortunate situation to endure. After the accident, there are a few important steps one must take in order to ensure that the accident itself is the worst part of the entire ordeal. These steps are essential to ensure that the accident is handled in a way where one is legally correct and least likely to incur any additional woes, whether personal, legal, or financial.
1) Stay Calm.
It is essential that after an accident, one takes a brief moment to collect oneself. Accidents are extremely stressful both emotionally and physically. After the accident, one's actions can determine a number of things that range from how the case is handled in court to how the other party deals with you during the time of the accident and during the time after. Staying calm, or at least collecting oneself, is also the best course of action for maintaining one's health, both mental and physical.
2) Secure your surroundings
The scene of an accident is not a safe place to be. In many cases, the accident occurs on roads that are prone to medium to heavy traffic levels. When one finds himself in an accident, one of the most important things to do is to assess the surroundings and determine what can be done to make them safer. Whether it's moving the cars to the side of the road or opening the hood of the car, one should always be sure that the area is the safest it can possibly be. If you feel the surrounding area is too dangerous to stay in, leave immediately with the other driver/drivers to a place that is safe.
3) Call the police
This is a step that some people do not think is necessary if the police do not arrive to the scene automatically or if the accident is a small one. Generally, both parties should use proper discretion in deciding to call the police. The police will file a report that will become an important document in regard to legal implications. Just
because the police come, it does not mean you have to go through insurance.
4) Exchange Information
No matter what type of accident one is involved in, information should always be disclosed between both parties involved. The encompassing list of information that should be collected and exchanged includes the name, address, phone number, insurance company, policy number, driver license number and license plate number for the driver and the owner of each vehicle.
5) Photograph and document
In order to have proof of what transpired and the effects of the accident itself, it is important that one photographs the scene of the accident. If there are witnesses to the accident, it is a very good idea to gain their testimonial in order to have additional sources of proof.
Accidents & Mental States
Mental Check after Being in an Accident
It's safe to say that most people will be involved in an automobile accident at some point in their life. According to the National Center for Statistics & Analysis, there are 3.5 million people injured in a car accident every single year in the United States alone, and almost 42,000 of those people die as a result.
So, anyone who gets into an auto mobile accident and walks away without a scratch should consider themselves very lucky. Heck, even if you do have a scratch, you're lucky if that's the only consequence.
Luckily a lot of accidents aren't fatal, but what most people don't think about are the mental effects that often cause more harm than the physical, and can also take much longer to recover from. Even the most minor incident has the ability to cause long term anxiety, fears, and phobias about driving.
It was once assumed that people who have more severe physical injuries from car accidents are more likely to have psychological issues as well. Only recently have people been accepting that it's not the facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your own emotional experience of the event.
A doctor can usually diagnose how long it will take to recover from physical injuries but the problem with psychological damage is there is no way to tell how long it will last. In typical cases it takes about three months to a year to get over the emotional stress of an accident.
But all too often, victims are stuck with persistent issues and anxiety disorders which don't develop until after the accident, sometimes even after the physical injuries have healed. And surprisingly, most people who get persistent anxiety weren't drivers, but passengers in the accident.
Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of an extraordinarily stressful event that shatters your sense of security, making you feel helpless and vulnerable. It's usually not life threatening, but any situation that makes you feel overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn't cause physical harm.
Some may argue that physiological consequences aren't that serious, but anyone arguing that has clearly not experienced it firsthand. Emotional harm from an accident can range from shock, denial, guilt, anxiety, social withdrawal and mood swings to insomnia, fatigue, headache and muscle pain, confusion and flashbacks.
You may be anxious when driving or riding in cars, or even avoid cars altogether. You may also be nervous or anxious when passing the site of the accident, seeing similar road conditions, or traveling in the vehicle involved in the accident or even just seeing a similar car.
And when you think about it, this seriously affects day to day life for any normal person. Auto mobiles are a necessary part of life nowadays unless you don't mind staying within a mile radius. Psychological trauma is real, valid and damaging.
Although most people associate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with soldiers after they have been to war, it is now widely recognized that PTSD symptoms can arise in any person that has survived a traumatic event, car accidents being one of the leading causes.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, causes depression, hopelessness, and a general inability to feel positive emotions. Victims feel the need to replay the experience over and over again in their head. They also tend to avoid anything associated with the accident in any way, shape, or form.
Mental distress from a car accident is common to an extent. But if two to three months have gone by and you still avoid certain driving situations, have persistent thoughts or dreams about the accident, or are still experiencing any bad feelings that aren't normal for you, you should seek help from someone qualified in PTSD treatment.
Other than talking about your issues with a psychologist or other mental health professional, there aren't many options out there to help with emotional damage. The best thing you can do is just take care of yourself by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting plenty of rest.
You should also stay on a regular schedule and have daily or weekly routines. Stay active as much as possible and surround yourself with supportive people. Even if you don't feel that your symptoms are severe enough to seek professional help, it can't hurt to talk about your experience with loved ones.
In a split second, an automobile accident can turn your world upside down. They're one of the most common, yet overlooked sources of psychological trauma. The best way to prevent it is by avoiding accidents in the first place, which is more easily said than done. Simply acknowledging that you have been emotionally hurt is the first step to feeling better.
So, anyone who gets into an auto mobile accident and walks away without a scratch should consider themselves very lucky. Heck, even if you do have a scratch, you're lucky if that's the only consequence.
Luckily a lot of accidents aren't fatal, but what most people don't think about are the mental effects that often cause more harm than the physical, and can also take much longer to recover from. Even the most minor incident has the ability to cause long term anxiety, fears, and phobias about driving.
It was once assumed that people who have more severe physical injuries from car accidents are more likely to have psychological issues as well. Only recently have people been accepting that it's not the facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your own emotional experience of the event.
A doctor can usually diagnose how long it will take to recover from physical injuries but the problem with psychological damage is there is no way to tell how long it will last. In typical cases it takes about three months to a year to get over the emotional stress of an accident.
But all too often, victims are stuck with persistent issues and anxiety disorders which don't develop until after the accident, sometimes even after the physical injuries have healed. And surprisingly, most people who get persistent anxiety weren't drivers, but passengers in the accident.
Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of an extraordinarily stressful event that shatters your sense of security, making you feel helpless and vulnerable. It's usually not life threatening, but any situation that makes you feel overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn't cause physical harm.
Some may argue that physiological consequences aren't that serious, but anyone arguing that has clearly not experienced it firsthand. Emotional harm from an accident can range from shock, denial, guilt, anxiety, social withdrawal and mood swings to insomnia, fatigue, headache and muscle pain, confusion and flashbacks.
You may be anxious when driving or riding in cars, or even avoid cars altogether. You may also be nervous or anxious when passing the site of the accident, seeing similar road conditions, or traveling in the vehicle involved in the accident or even just seeing a similar car.
And when you think about it, this seriously affects day to day life for any normal person. Auto mobiles are a necessary part of life nowadays unless you don't mind staying within a mile radius. Psychological trauma is real, valid and damaging.
Although most people associate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with soldiers after they have been to war, it is now widely recognized that PTSD symptoms can arise in any person that has survived a traumatic event, car accidents being one of the leading causes.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, causes depression, hopelessness, and a general inability to feel positive emotions. Victims feel the need to replay the experience over and over again in their head. They also tend to avoid anything associated with the accident in any way, shape, or form.
Mental distress from a car accident is common to an extent. But if two to three months have gone by and you still avoid certain driving situations, have persistent thoughts or dreams about the accident, or are still experiencing any bad feelings that aren't normal for you, you should seek help from someone qualified in PTSD treatment.
Other than talking about your issues with a psychologist or other mental health professional, there aren't many options out there to help with emotional damage. The best thing you can do is just take care of yourself by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting plenty of rest.
You should also stay on a regular schedule and have daily or weekly routines. Stay active as much as possible and surround yourself with supportive people. Even if you don't feel that your symptoms are severe enough to seek professional help, it can't hurt to talk about your experience with loved ones.
In a split second, an automobile accident can turn your world upside down. They're one of the most common, yet overlooked sources of psychological trauma. The best way to prevent it is by avoiding accidents in the first place, which is more easily said than done. Simply acknowledging that you have been emotionally hurt is the first step to feeling better.
Phone:
856-939-4000
Fax: 856-931-9220
Email: charlene@bellmawrcollision.com
Address: 60 W Clements Bridge Rd, Runnemede, NJ 08078
Fax: 856-931-9220
Email: charlene@bellmawrcollision.com
Address: 60 W Clements Bridge Rd, Runnemede, NJ 08078
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