British roads, like those in many other European countries, can often feel very outdated. We’re not just talking about the tarmac surface that looks like it was laid by a Roman peasant back in the day; we mean the size of them and how, while cars get bigger, the roads stay the same size. Often, that means they’re too narrow or perhaps an uneven width. This leads to many drivers bumping their car’s wheels against the kerb, which might not seem like a big deal, but can have disastrous consequences.
If a kerb, or something bigger, has done some serious damage to your vehicle then you could be better off saving the money put aside for repairs and instead selling the car altogether! Scrap Car Comparison can find you the best price for your old, unwanted or even damaged car, offered by scrap and salvage experts operating only approved Authorised Treatment Centres (ATFs). Our network of buyers covers 99% of the UK, so wherever you are, you can get a quote for your car and even have it collected at no extra cost! Give our sales team a call on 03333 44 99 50 or use our scrap car price calculator to get a quote for your vehicle today!
I’ve Just Hit A Kerb, What Damage Should I Check For?
This minor mistake could actually do some nasty damage to your car. The most common problem caused by colliding with a kerb is wheel misalignment, otherwise known as bad tracking. Hitting a kerb can knock your wheels out of their perfectly aligned straightforward position, which will result in the vehicle pulling to one side when the steering wheel is straight.
A harder hit could also break one of the car’s axles or even burst a tyre, either of which will immediately stop you in your tracks and could also throw you into a potentially deadly accident. However, if you give any kerb a hard whack without breaking an axle or bursting a tyre, you’re at least going to start causing uneven wear on the rubber and you could even end up damaging the car’s transmission by forcing a wheel shaft into it.
Then there’s also the possibility of damaging the underside of your car, if you were to drive over a particularly high kerb. If you scrape the bottom of your car, you could do catastrophic damage to all manner of parts like your exhaust system or catalytic converter.
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How Fast Do You Need To Hit A Kerb To Cause Damage?
The truth is, there’s no way to answer this accurately because there are a number of factors that also influence how much damage is suffered, if any. You could suffer some minor damage at under 10 mph, but it also depends on the model of car that you’re driving, the angle of the impact and even down to things like the weight you’re carrying. More serious damage could be caused by hitting the kerb at anything more than 10 mph, if the other factors conspire against you too.
Could There Be Damage That’s Not Visible?
An inspection of your car after hitting the kerb could tell you everything you need to know, but not always. It’s possible that some damage could be done that can’t be seen by simply looking the car over. Tyre damage, for example, might not be obvious particularly if your car has stopped while resting on top of a gash.
Minor wheel alignment issues also won’t be visible to the naked eye, so you should take care when you get back in the car for the first time in case you find it unexpectedly pulling to one side.
Leaks also might not be spotted, depending on how long you examine the underside of the vehicle for. If you’ve scraped the bottom of the car, you might have caused a leak that’s slowly dripping; a quick glance might not let you notice this.
What To Do If I’ve Sustained Damage
If you’ve hit the kerb and damaged your car, your own judgement should really be the difference between whether you continue on with your journey or call a recovery vehicle to tow you there. After all, each incident is going to different levels of damage to individual cars. If your car is pulling, you will probably be okay to make your way home or to the nearest garage, but if the car is driving different in any other, or if there’s clear damage, you shouldn’t risk it – especially on faster roads like motorways.
Is your car ready for scrap or salvage? Get it priced up today with Scrap Car Comparison and you’ll have cash in the bank and space on your driveway within just a few days. In fact, you can get an initial valuation in around 30 seconds and with expert scrap buyers positioned all over the UK, we can offer you a price no matter where you are. We even arrange for your vehicle to be collected from you free of charge! So, use our scrap car price calculator or call 03333 44 99 50 to get a quote now!
