Change and Next Accident Readiness

In every industry there is steady talk of rapid change and the need to be prepared for this change. The collision repair industry is no different and those of us working in collision repair have been hearing of big changes for many years. Very often these changes proved to be not as significant as claimed and could be met with only relatively small evolutionary adaptations.

This time the change is real, rapid and affecting all aspects of the industry very significantly.  Small tweaks to repair methods are no longer enough.

Energy management in an accident is an invisible component of vehicle performance which has no effect on the car or its performance until it is needed. With today’s smaller, lighter cars this energy management is carefully designed and built in through the use of metals and other materials of varying strengths and characteristics.

A car can be repaired to look and drive exactly as it did before the accident, but if the repair facility had not utilized all the available information and equipment to perform correct structural repairs the car will not perform to its design capabilities in another accident. Will the passenger compartment be protected as designed and will the airbag activate when it is needed? If the repair was done correctly and the car was returned to original specifications the answer is yes. If the repair was done without true consideration to correct, very specific repair procedures the answer will be no.

Every one of us has to deal with a constant load of important issues and minor diversions and it is understandable that ‘post-accident energy management’ may not be top of mind. At Tsawwassen Collision we repair the cars you will be driving and for us it is very much top of mind. We are very aware of the importance of the car being ‘Ready for the Next Accident.’