As most vehicle owners know, sustaining a car dent is not an uncommon occurrence. Often, they happen without you realizing it, which is frustrating. While not always preventable, you will minimize your risk and save yourself a trip to the auto body shop by being aware of their most common causes. Below are four examples, as well as helpful tips for avoiding them.

Common Car Dent Causes

1. Severe Weather

Harsh weather such as hail and sleet—as well as falling branches and flying gravel caused by high winds—often send drivers to the auto body shop for dent repair. The small debris becomes a missile when combined with the wind and can lead to severe damage. Keeping your car parked in a garage or under shelter when you know a storm is coming is the best way to prevent this.

2. Bumping Car Door

Though sometimes unavoidable in a crowded parking lot, be wary when squeezing into a tight spot between two cars. If a driver or passenger in one of those cars opens their door too quickly, it will hit your car and create a dent. Parking further away from other vehicles will mitigate this risk.

3. Rogue Shopping Carts

It’s common for busy shoppers to leave their carts out in the grocery store parking lot. Often, these stray carts end up rolling around and bumping into parked cars, causing dents. Be mindful of where you park your car when you go to the grocery store—try to steer clear of parking near cart return stations or next to inclines that errant carts could roll down.

4.  Drive-Thru Car Wash Services

While your car may be clean after going through a drive-thru car wash, the automatic machinery can occasionally cause accidental scratches, dings, and dents. Hand washing your vehicle is a much safer method when it comes to avoiding the need for dent repair from an auto body shop.

If you require dent repair, the experts at Schneider Auto Body are eager to help. Since 1989, this family-run auto body shop has provided drivers in the Columbia, MO, area with top-rated auto repair services, including dent removal, collision repair, auto painting, and custom auto body work. Visit their website to learn more about the services they offer, and call (573) 815-0198 to schedule an appointment today.