An impaired driver. A driver speeding through a safe zone. A driver looking down at their phone. A driver backing into a light pole in a parking lot.

There are hundreds of causes of car accidents, from major to minor, across the world. What are the most common damaged car parts in accidents when they occur?

Front and Rear Bumpers

From minor bumps into another car to driving full speed and slamming into the rear bumper of the vehicle in front. Front and rear bumpers are two of the most commonly damaged car parts in car accidents. It’s easy for cars to speed along or not pay attention and bump into another vehicle.

Many times, you’ll only experience cosmetic accidents: dents, cracks, and scratches. But on other occasions, the damage is detrimental.

Significant hits to the rear bumper can cause a cracked frame and total the car. While the vehicle may still run, driving a car in this condition is very dangerous for you and others on the road.

Front-end collisions risk damaging the engine. After an accident to the front end, pay attention to the signs that your car is leaking transmission fluid, and have a mechanic thoroughly examine the vehicle before driving again. After damaging the front end, it’s safest to wait and ensure the car is safe. You don’t want to drive on a damaged transmission that’s potentially leaking fluid.

Headlights

The vehicle rushes forward and hits the backside of another car or object. The bumper endures minimal damage, but you shattered the headlights.

Most headlights consist of polycarbonate plastic instead of glass. It’s a strong plastic that can withstand severe conditions. While this is the case, headlights will still frequently break since they’re less resistant to impact in comparison to other features of the vehicle.

Front and Rear Doors

Collisions don’t only occur on the front or back side of the vehicle. Sometimes, drivers may experience side impacts causing damage to the doors. You’ll rarely experience impairments to the door unless it’s a collision from the side.

Car doors are incredibly durable. Since people sit directly by the doors, car manufacturers do everything they can to create strong materials that will withstand various impacts.

Air Bags

During a big collision, the air bags will deploy to protect the passengers in the vehicle. It’s a programmed safety feature that’s essential to keep passengers safe during a dangerous car accident.

When this occurs, there’s no simple way to put those air bags back in place. As the mechanic conducts various repairs from the collision, they will also need to replace the air bags. This way, they’re ready to deploy again if there’s ever another accident.

Air Conditioners and Heaters

When front-end collisions happen, it’s common knowledge that the vehicle’s front end will endure the most damage. You may not realize that the air conditioner and heater can also fall apart.

You may experience this type of problem during heavy-impact situations. Since the damage must extend from the front end of the car toward the inner parts of the vehicle, it would take a tremendous force to break the air conditioners and heaters.

Accidents happen. There are thousands of drivers on the roads every day. All you can do is try your best, stay alert, and be a safe driver.