Should You Use OEM or Aftermarket Parts After a Collision?

Written by Formula 1 Collision on January 30, 2025. Posted in Tips and Advice.

Do OEM or aftermarket parts work better for your vehicle? Dealing with the aftermath of an accident is stressful enough, so the last thing you want is more confusion.

As the go-to crew for collision repair in Tucson, AZ, we at Formula 1 Collision Center have helped many people find the most appropriate replacement parts. Keep reading to learn more, or call (520) 369-4291 for some specific advice from our local experts.

What Are OEM Parts?

Original Equipment Manufacturer parts come directly from the vehicle’s maker. They’re the same components your make and model had when it left the assembly line. Think of it like putting a puzzle piece back where it belongs — it fits just right.

Many vehicle owners and repair specialists prefer to get factory-standard items for the peace of mind alone.

What Are Aftermarket Parts?

Third-party companies produce aftermarket parts. The car’s manufacturer does not produce these components. You might compare them to ordering off-brand cereal – it’s not the same brand, but it still does the job.

These components often cost less and are widely available. The quality can vary, though, so it never hurts to do a little homework.

Choosing Between OEM and Aftermarket Items

The OEM vs. aftermarket parts debate has persisted. Use these factors to narrow down your decision:

Cost

OEM parts are pricier because they come directly from the manufacturer. Typically, they undergo more testing and meet stricter quality standards.

Most insurance companies only cover aftermarket parts because they deem them sufficient replacements. You might have to pay extra for OEM parts if that’s your preference. Keep this in mind when reviewing your policy.

Safety

The last thing you want is another accident caused by faulty components. Interestingly, a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed no major differences in crashworthiness between OEM and aftermarket parts. However, this test only covered one particular make and model, so we might reasonably expect the results to vary for different vehicles.

It’s important to know the reputation of the part’s manufacturer. Reading reviews and asking for a professional’s opinion can help you choose safer options.

Performance

One of the biggest original equipment manufacturer benefits is that you usually don’t need to worry about performance. The Certified Automotive Parts Association released a report that shows only one in four aftermarket parts match OEM quality.

This non-profit organization tests components from independent manufacturers to minimize performance gaps. Look for their certification for cheap but reliable aftermarket options.

Availability

Local stores, online shops, and even dealerships often stock aftermarket options. They’re easy to access and usually ready to ship.

OEM parts may take more time since they come straight from the manufacturer. Expect delays when your vehicle is an older model or less common.

Exploring Auto Parts Replacement Options in Tucson, AZ

Do you need an in-depth OEM parts durability comparison? What about exterior aftermarket parts pros and cons? Formula 1 Collision Center always has your vehicle covered.

Call (520) 369-4291 to decide between OEM or aftermarket parts, get advice on choosing the right body shop, and more.

How To Assess Damage To Cars After a Collision

Written by Formula 1 Collision on January 30, 2025. Posted in Tips and Advice.

Did you recently get into an accident? After verifying that everyone involved is safe and sound, it’s time to check on your vehicle’s health.

As the go-to specialists for collision repair in Tucson, AZ, we at Formula 1 Collision Center know how to assess damage to cars. Keep reading to learn more.

You can also call (520) 369-4291 when you need car damage assistance.

Assessing Car Damage After an Accident

Before sending the car or truck to a repair shop, follow these steps to inspect accident damage:

Cosmetic Damage

The price for safety is a more fragile exterior. Auto bodies have “crumple zones” that absorb impact to protect occupants. You will likely find dents, paint scratches, and other exterior irregularities in these spots, even from a fairly low-speed collision.

Structural Damage

Cracked or misaligned frames change how your car handles. The outside might seem fine, but you may feel the difference when driving. Also, check for gaps between panels or doors that won’t close properly.

Mechanical Damage

Pop the hood and check for leaks, smoke, strange noises, severed connections, and other signs of damage. These complications may greatly reduce your car’s safety and performance. Don’t ignore any warning lights on your dashboard, either.

How To Receive Proper Car Damage Compensation

Follow these car damage evaluation tips:

Document Everything

Once you handle the more urgent tasks, like attending to injured parties and moving the vehicles to safety, take pictures of all the damage. Don’t forget close-ups of noticeable dents, scratches, or broken parts.

It also never hurts to take notes. Account for the speed of the vehicles, road conditions, and anything else of relevance.

File a Report

Connect with your insurance provider as soon as possible. Most companies impose a 24-hour deadline to file a claim. Just stick to the facts and avoid admitting or accepting fault when speaking to anyone.

You may also have to file an incident report if you didn’t call 911 or the police at the scene.

Get Estimates

Find a reputable shop to assess car damage post-collision. The team should have:

Experience working with insurance claims
Consistently positive online reviews
A fair pricing policy

Always seek a second opinion when something feels off with your car assessor.

Estimating Car Repair Costs

The insurance company will send an adjuster or third-party appraiser to assess damage to the car. These experts know how to evaluate total loss and decide whether repairs are worth it. You’ll receive a benchmark estimate based on the car’s value and the average cost of labor and parts.

The actual costs may slightly differ based on the estimates given by repair shops. The insurer normally requires you to get up to three quotes from different establishments.

Dependable Collision Repair Specialists in Tucson, AZ

What’s an easy way to assess damage to cars? Leave it to the Formula 1 Collision Center crew to make this otherwise harrowing process easier!

Call 520-369-4291 — or read our blog and learn how to determine the car value after accident repair work or for a vehicle repair assessment guide.

What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down on the Road

Written by Formula 1 Collision on December 30, 2024. Posted in Tips and Advice.

A sudden breakdown when driving on the highway is never fun, especially at night. Low visibility and solitude make you and your car incredibly vulnerable. Formula 1 Collision Center’s tow truck service in Tucson, AZ, cares about your safety. So, we explained what to do when your car breaks down below.

What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down

No matter how recently you purchased your vehicle, you should adhere to these car safety tips and keep the following supplies in your trunk:

A roadside kit with tools like tire pressure gauges, reflective markers, extra motor oil, and other fluids to help you reach your destination in a pinch.
A spare tire for an unexpected flat.
Jumper cables to revive your or someone else’s vehicle if it dies.
A blanket in case you break down in cold weather.
A flashlight to help you see in and around your vehicle.

These items can be life savers should you encounter vehicular emergencies. Breakdowns are one such emergency. You’ll learn what to do when your car breaks down below.

Find Somewhere Safe to Park

Safety is your priority when your vehicle starts making concerning noises, driving strangely, or slowing down without you breaking. Check the traffic behind you, turn on the right blinker, and carefully glide toward the right shoulder of the road.

Drive your car as deep into the shoulder as possible without hitting nearby objects. This can put a safe distance between you and cars speeding by. Turn on your hazard lights to help other drivers see you as you park so they can slow down.

Look for Other Ways to Enhance Visibility

If you have your handy roadside kit, you can pull out and place the reflective markers near your vehicle facing oncoming traffic. This further enables other drivers to see your location and can prevent collisions. You can also:

Open the hood to make your vehicle more visible. It can also help your assistance service find you.
Place your flashlight on top of your car. If your mobile device also has a flashlight, use the standalone light to make your car more visible, too.
Wear your brightest piece of clothing. Never wear dark clothes on the side of the road. They camouflage you, and an unsuspecting driver might hit you.

Mentally Catalog What Went Wrong

What happened that forced you to pull over? Try to remember:

The odd sensations coming from the wheels or engines.
Any strange noises you heard.
Recent car troubles you had to address.

Contact Roadside Assistance

If you can’t fix the problem, call a friend or family member to scoop you up. You can also use a roadside assistance service or contact Formula 1 Collision Center for a tow truck.

Choose Formula 1 Collision Center as Your Towing Service

Knowing what to do when your car breaks down protects you and your vehicle. Now, learn about the types of towing services you can request based on your predicament. Call 520-369-4291 for Formula 1 Collision Center’s towing service.

How to Repair Chipped Paint on a Car and Restore Its Shine

Written by Formula 1 Collision on December 30, 2024. Posted in Tips and Advice.

Have you ever glanced over your car after a fresh wash? You feel pride and confidence in its appearance until you notice a scratch on the door. That scratch has chipping paint on either side, making it more obvious. Formula 1 Collision Center specializes in collision repair in Tucson, AZ. We outlined how to repair chipped paint on a car below.

The Tools Our Technicians Use

Minor work on cosmetic details, like any project, requires a few tools and supplies. Our technicians gather the following before getting started:

Sandpaper
Touch-up tool and paint
Primer
Filler
Rust remover
Gentle soap
Microfiber rag
Clear coating

Once they gather these items, they can begin the touch-up process.

How to Repair Chipped Paint on a Car

Fixing chipped paint is a fairly simple service. Sure, it takes patience as the cosmetic technicians wait for substances to dry. But the result is always worth the wait!

Clean the Chipped Area

Prep comes first to create a clean surface for infallible paint adherence. Our techs mix the soap with warm water until suds appear. Then, they clean the damaged area thoroughly, wiping in circular motions with the microfiber cloth before completely drying.

Sand the Area

Our guide on how to repair chipped paint on a car continues with sanding the surface. The technician needs an even area to work with. They may also apply the rust remover to dissolve any rust that has colonized the minor damage.

Painting to Erase the Chipping

Fixing cosmetic damage rarely means one paint coat and done. Professional technicians reach a higher standard by:

Applying a primer. The primer helps the paint adhere firmly to the panel.
Using two coats of touch-up paint using a small paint applicator. Multiple thin, even coats ensure a uniform color.
Painting a clear coat over the dried area to protect your vehicle’s paint. The clear coating keeps moisture from working into the new paint.
Reapplying some car wax. Wax adds a luxurious shine to your car’s surface, making it sparkle like new!

If the scratch or dent is particularly deep, we may add some filler before we paint over it.

Why Should You Have Chipped Areas Serviced?

Some vehicle owners ignore chipped or rusty patches because they don’t think these small cosmetic flaws matter. However, our team speaks from experience when they say the flaws do matter. Not only do they marr the vehicle’s appearance, but they also:

Encourage rust beneath surrounding paint.
Degrade the metal paneling.
Can cause a chain reaction that enables the surrounding paint to lose its bond and flake off.
Lower the vehicle’s resale value.

Fix Big and Small Imperfections at Formula 1 Collision Center

As you can see, our experienced crew knows how to repair chipped paint on a car. We can also restore faded auto paint and handle other cosmetic tasks in Tucson, Arizona, no matter the size. Call Formula 1 Collision Center at 520-369-4291 to make your ride look brand-new again.

Custom Painted Cars: The Advantages of a Custom Paint Job For Your Car

Written by Formula 1 Collision on November 30, 2024. Posted in Tips and Advice.

Should you settle for a standard vehicle color? A tailor-fit approach might suit you better.

As the specialist for custom car paint Tucson locals trust, we at Formula 1 Collision Center know a thing or two about this treatment. Keep reading as we highlight the perks of custom-painted cars.

Boost Resale Value

Are you selling your car anytime soon? Custom auto painting can make your car pop and catch potential buyers’ eyes faster than a standard finish. It’s unique and memorable, which is exactly what you want when putting your vehicle on the market.

People often associate a pristine finish with care and attention to detail, too. This little extra touch could lead to a quicker and more profitable transaction. Just do a little research on your target crowd first, as some might prefer something as close to a factory finish as possible, whereas others love a bold or trendy hue.

Achieve Your Preferred Style

A standard vehicle paint job barely leaves any room for personal expression. Why not go for the option that gives you endless vehicle customization possibilities? With custom-painted cars, you can fine-tune every detail, including:

Color: Which colors boost car value? If you have a specific shade in mind, a reputable company can match it precisely.
Finish: A matte, glossy, pearlescent, or metallic treatment impacts the final look and how much dirt or scratches show. Choose what matches your lifestyle.
Unique designs: Beyond the base coat of custom-painted cars, think about decals and patterns. Subtle logos, custom graphics, stripes and patterns, and other less common features might reflect your personality.

Eliminate Past Imperfections

Companies that do custom car detailing are usually meticulous. Whether your vehicle bears damage from flying rocks, weather events, or minor fender benders, these professionals take the time to address every tiny mark.

Still, always ask what they can fix. Some cases need more auto paint services than others, and this could affect the final cost or timeline.

Makes Maintenance Easy

People become more motivated to keep their cars clean after a custom job. It turns into a fun routine instead of a chore.

A smooth, new finish also repels filth and grime better. You can spend less time scrubbing tough contaminants away and more time enjoying the sparkle.

Prevent Corrosion

Manufacturers make vehicles out of steel and metal to absorb impact, but these materials are prone to rusting. The layers of paint and protective coatings keep the moisture and salt away.

If your car has some exposed parts, book a paint job sooner rather than later. The last thing you want is to end up with more expensive repairs because of neglect.

Custom Car Paint Benefits Await With Formula 1 Collision Center

Do you have a vehicle that could use a little refresh? Leave it to Formula 1 Collision Center.

More and more people in Tucson have achieved their dream vehicle look with us. Can we do the same for you? Dial (520) 369-4291 for more information on custom-painted cars!

Can car paint be matched? Continue reading our blog to find out.

Can Electric Cars Be Towed?

Written by Formula 1 Collision on November 30, 2024. Posted in Tips and Advice.

If you’ve ever seen what it takes to charge one up, you might wonder, “Can electric cars be towed??”

It’s a good thing to know when yours runs out of juice or breaks down. With the technology’s current limitations, you might also want to know this if you’re suddenly stranded in a faraway location without a recharging option.

As the speedy towing service Tucson locals trust, Formula 1 Collision Center knows how to handle various vehicle types safely – including towing electric cars. Keep reading to learn more.

Is Towing Electric Car Models Possible?

Yes, but the process is a little more complicated than a regular car.

Most EV models have no gearbox, which means you can’t just slide them into neutral to disengage the power source. If you tow them, you would need to do it while the electric vehicle is in drive or reverse, but that could engage the electric components and cause serious damage to the battery and motor.

Towing by dragging won’t work for an electric vehicle!

What about towing hybrid car designs? While they usually have neutral gear, dragging these cars may also affect their electrical elements, so experts don’t advise it.

Some Towing Solutions for Electric Vehicles

What are the options for safe electric car transport when towing? Let’s go over the options.

Wheel Lift Tow Trucks

Can electric cars be towed? with wheel lifts? A hydraulic yoke holds two of the vehicle’s wheels while the other two stay connected to the ground or attached to a tow dolly. Wheel lifts aren’t ideal for EVs, as two wheels can still engage the motor.

Hook and Chain Trucks

The smaller size of these trucks compared to other tow vehicles means easier maneuvering. They latch onto the car and drag it away. However, with two wheels on the ground, it’s also not the best choice for EVs.

Flat Towing

Surprisingly, this is probably the least safe option for an electric vehicle tow. It’s the go-to choice for RVs and conventional campers. Bear in mind that this towing method can damage an EV’s components.

Flatbed Trailer

Lastly, many people mistake this method for flat towing, but flatbed trailers winch onto a vehicle so that none of its wheels touch the ground. You won’t have to worry about its components wearing down, but these trailers are also pricey to rent, take longer to set up than your standard tow, and may struggle to handle private property towing with tight spots.

Consult the Source – EV Manufacturer Guidelines

With new and improved models released each year, it’s smart to check with your electric car’s manufacturer for the most up-to-date advice. They know their designs best and give EV towing guidelines. Some Tesla and Nissan models already have a Transport Mode (like neutral) to load your EV onto a flatbed trailer.

Safely Flatbed Towing EV Models in Tucson

Can electric cars be towed?? If you need assistance, leave it to Formula 1 Collision Center. Dial (520) 369-4291, or read more on our blog about the legalities of calling a tow truck on someone and more.

How to Polish Clear Coat Paint

Written by Formula 1 Collision on October 30, 2024. Posted in Tips and Advice.

Learning how to polish a clear coat on your vehicle’s bodywork requires some special techniques. If you’d like to keep your car in top condition, it’s easiest to rely on paint shops in Tucson, AZ, like Formula 1 Collision Center, to perform this task.

In the meantime, let’s review the proper techniques for polishing clear coat paint on your car.

What Is Clear Coat Paint on a Car?

If your car has clear coat paint, this means it has an extra layer. That clear coat is transparent and sits above the layer of color. This layer’s purpose is often two-fold:

Enhance the primary color of the car.
Protect the car paint from the elements.

So, having this extra coating helps your car’s aesthetics and mitigates weather damage, but clear coats do require special care to keep them intact and looking great.

Types of Possible Damage With Clear Coat Paint

As it’s protecting the primary paint layer on your vehicle, the clear coat can suffer in several ways, including:

Scratching
Peeling or bubbling
Fading or yellowing
Looking raised or bumpy

Are car paint damages showing up inside the clear coat? That can be a challenge to repair without special maintenance keeping the clear coat in the best possible condition. Learn how to polish a clear coat below, and you might just help your vehicle resist damage over time.

Steps to Care for Clear Coat Paint

Do you know how to polish a clear coat? There are two main steps to follow.

Use Wet Sanding

If you notice bumpiness or scratches on your clear coat finish, wet sanding can remove this unwanted texture. You have to soak the sandpaper for at least an hour before using it.

Only use an ultra-fine sandpaper grit of 1,200 or higher. It’s also important to keep the car and the sandpaper wet for this technique to work.

Perform a Buffing Technique

After sanding comes buff work. Buffing the clear coat of paint starts by gently washing away any of the grit from the sanding. Dry the vehicle with a lint-free cloth or microfiber cloth to prepare it for buffing, which uses an electric buffer tool with a soft wool pad.

Remember, improper use of a power tool could cause damage. The experts will add a polish compound to the clear coat and use swirling motions to apply it. Any fine scratches in the coat should disappear, and you should see only slight swirl marks (a finishing polish removes those swirls).

Trust Formula 1 Collision Center for Professional Paint Work on Your Vehicle

That’s how to polish a clear coat safely, but consider relying on professionals to do this paint care work, as they’ll do it with the utmost care and practiced techniques. Experts know how to keep a paint job looking good on your vehicle.

At Formula 1 Collision Center, we never cut corners on your vehicle’s paint job, so we’ll always deliver a result that you’ll be proud to show off to friends and family. To set up a service appointment or to learn more about how we can help you, call us today at (520) 369-4291!

Does a Tow Truck Need Your Keys?

Written by Formula 1 Collision on October 30, 2024. Posted in Tips and Advice.

Let’s say you need a vehicle towed but can’t find the keys. Generally, ignition requirements include keys, so do you have to wait for a lockout service to show up? Does a tow truck need your keys?

The good news is, at this point, you’re not entirely out of luck if you don’t have keys. There are ways to handle vehicle recovery without keys, though it’s not always simple. Read on as Formula 1 Collision Center, a reliable towing service in Tucson, AZ, sheds some light on the matter of moving vehicles without their keys since towing is what we do best.

Tow Trucks Don’t Need Your Car Keys

Keys make vehicle retrieval easy. You can put the car in neutral and roll to the auto shop with the tow truck. However, sometimes it’s not possible to do this, like when you’re towing a vehicle that isn’t yours, you’ve lost your keys, or the engine won’t start.

The first important thing to note here is that when you call a tow truck company, you’ll want to let them know you don’t have key access so they can arrive with the proper equipment. It takes some extra tools to get the vehicle loaded up, but it can be done.

Towing Procedures Without Key Access

Does a tow truck need your keys? The answer is no.

There are a couple of ways to move a vehicle without accessing the inside. Still, a word of caution: never tow a truck without legal permission or the guidance of official Towing Company Regulations. If you do sneak a car away without the authority to do so, you can get into serious legal trouble.

If you have permission to tow the vehicle, here are two safe ways to do so without the keys:

Dollies

Specialized dollies, called self-loading dollies, move vehicles using two bars that fit around a tire and two to four wheels that haul the vehicle around. The tow company places a dolly around each tire and puts it into the loaded position to raise the vehicle off the ground. Once all the tires are off the ground and the dollies are secure, the tow truck can move the vehicle.

A bigger dolly is safe for road usage. Smaller dollies only work for temporary usage.

Flatbed Trucks

Flatbed trucks are a second convenient way to tow heavy vehicles without getting inside them. The tow truck driver will have to use self-loading dollies to get the vehicle onto the flatbed (the smaller dollies). From there, the driver will remove the dollies to stop the vehicle from moving around as the truck transports it elsewhere.

Once loaded onto the truck, tie-down attachments ensure the vehicle doesn’t go anywhere.

Formula 1 Collision Center Can Tow Your Car

Does a tow truck need your keys? They don’t, which is helpful if you find yourself wondering where your set has disappeared or you’re in a jam. If you can’t find the keys, just call a tow truck from Formula 1 Collision Center in Tucson, Arizona, at (520) 369-4291 to get your car to the shop.

Does Gasoline Damage Car Paint?

Written by Formula 1 Collision on February 29, 2024. Posted in Tips and Advice.

You don’t expect to spill gasoline on your car’s exterior when refueling it. Still, accidents happen. Even a few dribbles of fuel could leave you wondering “Does gasoline damage car paint?”

As Tucson’s best auto body shop, Formula 1 Collision Center treats all types of vehicular damage including damage to exterior paint. Here’s what our team has to say about gasoline-related car paint damage. If you still have questions about gasoline’s effects on your vehicle, don’t hesitate to contact our team.

The Usage and Makeup of Gasoline

Gasoline is a highly flammable liquid that fuels most manual and automated vehicles. It comes from petroleum and has around 150 hydrocarbons or chemicals containing hydrogen and carbon. Isopentane and butane are two common hydrocarbons in gas.

Gasoline on its own won’t create surface erosion on auto spray paint. However, a lower quality of gasoline containing contaminants can cause damage.

Will Gasoline Damage Your Car’s Paint Job?

Does gasoline damage car paint? It can if it’s not in its pure form.

When you spill gasoline on your car at the gas pump, you won’t notice anything wrong immediately. However, gas with contaminants turns into a degreaser or stripping agent. Gasoline spillage can destroy the protective coatings on vehicle exteriors designed to protect the car’s paint job from environmental factors like mud and rain.

Overflowing your gas tank and spilling a few drops of the liquid on your car won’t create a major problem. Yet, if you regularly get gasoline on your car, you’ll notice paint deterioration around the affected areas.

Best Way to Avoid Paint Degradation From a Gasoline Spill

Prevention is the best way to deal with gasoline damage on your car’s exterior. Filling the gas tank correctly is essential for automotive care since overflowing it can lead to poor fuel injection system performance. While pumping gas, ensure you don’t overfill the tank.

When you’re done pumping fuel, keep the nozzle in the tank for a few seconds. That will prevent the last drops from touching the vehicle’s paint.

How to Avoid Gasoline Damage on Your Car

Don’t panic if you accidentally spill gasoline on your car. Instead, take action fast by cleaning up the liquid before it dries. Dried gasoline is more damaging to auto paint than it is wet.

Here are the best techniques for cleaning gasoline off cars to preserve the integrity of the paint job:

Wipe the spill immediately with a soft sponge or microfiber cloth
Use a blow dryer to dry the wet spot
Apply an authorized cleanser to the spot affected by gasoline

Let Our Professionals Restore Your Car’s Appearance!

Does gasoline damage car paint? It certainly can, yet you can breathe life into your car’s exterior with help from our professionals at Formula 1 Collision Center in Tucson, Arizona. We offer comprehensive auto repair and vehicle maintenance services including auto body refinishing and painting.

Whether your car’s spray paint lifespan is almost up or it has gasoline damage, our factory-trained technicians can restore your vehicle’s appearance with a fresh coat of paint—call (520) 369-4291 today for an appointment.

How Do Airbags Protect You From Car Accidents?

Written by Formula 1 Collision on February 29, 2024. Posted in Tips and Advice.

Airbags are a standard safety feature in all cars, starting with the 1999 model year. They’re crucial for major injury prevention in car accidents. Still, you might ask yourself “How do airbags protect you exactly?”

Formula 1 Collision Center in Tucson is one of the best auto body repair shops in the area. Our mechanics regularly see the physical damage that a crash can leave on a car, so we know the life-saving benefits that airbags provide. Learn more about airbags below, and contact our team if you have other questions.

How Airbags Work

Having a car with airbags is just one of the ways you can stay safe on the road. They’re a popular inflatable safety device called a supplementary Resistance System. They consist of nylon bags neatly tucked in small hidden flaps around the vehicle.

When one of the car’s sensors that regulate airbag deployment detects a collision, it will trigger the chemical reaction that rapidly deploys and inflates the nylon bag with nitrogen gas. As a result, the airbag will quickly blow out its flaps to soften the blow of the collision’s impact on the vehicle’s occupants. The rapid deployment occurs in the blink of an eye.

Types of Airbags

People often associate airbags with the one conveniently located within the steering wheel. Yet, most modern vehicles have strategically placed airbags throughout vehicle cabins to ensure maximum safety for drivers and riders.

Common airbag types include:

Front Airbags
Center Airbags
Rear Airbags
Knee Airbags
Side Airbags
Inflatable Seat Belts

Are Airbags Effective Car Occupant Protection?

How do airbags protect you? Airbags help improve vehicle crashworthiness.

They provide a much-needed cushion against the rigid structures and surfaces inside the car. Though they deploy quickly, they immediately deflate to prevent suffocation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, front airbags alone are responsible for preventing more than 50,000 vehicular collision fatalities over a span of 30 years. They significantly reduce the risk of a major head or upper body injury due to striking the car cabin’s interior upon impact.

How to Prevent Serious Injuries Using Airbags

Despite the safety benefits of airbags, they can cause injuries in some cases. The force at which the bags deploy can lead to bruising or fractures. Malfunctioning airbags can cause ear trauma, eye injuries, and burns.

The best way to avoid airbag injury while driving is to sit at least ten inches from the steering wheel. Children under 12 are vulnerable, so they should sit in a car seat in the back.

Turn to Formula 1 Collision Center for Auto Collision Repair in Tucson

How do airbags protect you? Airbags can cushion the blow of vehicle collisions on passengers. Unfortunately, your car’s exterior doesn’t have that kind of protection.

Formula 1 Collision Center delivers the best solutions for any auto body need. Our crew of skilled mechanics and technicians have more than 40 years of experience repairing car accident damage and restoring deployed inflatable restraint systems.

Want to know what causes accidents, the most common collision between cars and motorcycles, or need to fix your vehicle after a collision? Call (520) 369-4291 to schedule an appointment with us.