If you have been involved in a car crash and had a child restrained in a child car seat, the seat may need to be replaced. In April 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced changes to the agency’s recommendations about replacing child safety seats following a crash. NHTSA explains: “The change was made to ensure parents or caregivers continue to correctly restrain their children following a minor crash and to reduce the burden of unnecessary child safety seat replacement.” NHTSA continues to advise parents and caregivers that child safety seats should be replaced if they have been involved in a moderate or severe crash. A crash is minor — and the seat invol
Your car recently sustained some damage while rear-ended at a traffic light. The other driver was found to be at fault, and their insurance company cut you a check for the collision repairs. However, you’ve decided to forgo taking it to an auto body shop, do the work yourself, and pocket most of the insurance money. But is that really wise? Even minor car accidents can cause hidden problems that may not present until later. And, if you’re not experienced at auto body work the results may reflect that. With this in mind, here are some potential problems with do-it-yourself collision repairs. Matching Auto Paint Is Difficult Matching the original paint for even minor scratches on your ve
Before an auto accident... Remember ABP: Always Be Prepared. Download a copy of the State Farm mobile app and register your account. It enables you to have an accessible digital copy of your insurance card as well as agent contact information. Stash a copy of your insurance card and registration in your vehicle. Keep a camera handy to document any post-accident damage. If you don’t have a phone that could be used for this purpose, consider spending a few dollars on a disposable camera to keep in your vehicle. After an auto accident... Ask yourself: Is anyone hurt? If so, immediately contact emergency services for help. Always call the police, no matter the severity of the accident. If the ac
