Hitting a Curb: Accidents and Damage

Most of us have accidentally hit a curb while driving. You might have run your tires into a street curb or the edge of a sidewalk while turning or parking. It may seem minimal, but it’s often not.

Hitting a curb is no minor event. You can actually be quite damaging. You could suffer damage to your tires as well as to the steering and frame of your car. Hitting a curb can also compromise driving safety. Driving with misaligned wheels or damaged tires or suspension can make handling unpredictable, increasing the risk of accidents.

Types of Damage

Hitting a curb, even at low speeds, can lead to a surprising amount of damage to your vehicle. Here’s a breakdown of the main risks:

• Tire and wheel damage. Curb impacts can pinch and damage the sidewall, causing bulges or tears that weaken the tire, potentially leading to blowouts. Hitting a curb can also bend, scratch, or crack the wheel rim, affecting tire alignment and risking air leaks.
• Suspension and alignment issues. Even a small curb hit can knock the wheels out of alignment, leading to uneven tire wear, poor handling, and potential steering issues. The suspension absorbs the shock of the impact, but severe hits can bend or break components like control arms, struts, or the steering rack, compromising stability and safety.
• Steering problems. You might notice the steering wheel is off-center or pulls to one side, which can make controlling the vehicle harder.
• Loose or damaged steering components. Repeated impacts can loosen or damage parts of the steering mechanism, affecting how well the vehicle responds to turns.
• Brake system stress. Hitting a curb can jolt brake components, potentially damaging calipers, brake pads, or rotors, which can lead to poor braking performance.
• Frame and underbody damage. If the curb is particularly high, it can scrape or damage the car’s underbody or even bend the vehicle’s frame, impacting overall structural integrity and safety.

Will Insurance Cover the Damage?

Possibly. After hitting a curb, it is important to inspect the damage, both inside and out. It is possible that multiple parts may have been damaged. Depending on the severity of the damage, it may not be safe to drive the car back home. If your insurance coverage includes emergency roadside assistance, it could potentially cover the cost of towing the car in this case.

Also, hitting a curb can be considered an accident. If you have an accident that causes damage to your car, your collision insurance will cover the costs of repairs. Even if you strike a curb, your collision coverage should take care of the damage

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer

Hitting a curb can lead to tire damage, frame damage, and even serious accidents. By keeping your tires and alignment in tip-top shape, you can prevent major damage to your vehicle.

In a crash? Get the help you need from a Houston car accident attorney from The West Law Office, PLLC. Our goal is to make sure our clients get the most compensation possible for their injuries. To schedule a consultation, call 281-347-3247 or fill out the online form.

Source:

carstar.com/blog/how-to-check-for-car-damage-from-hitting-the-curb/