Federal Bumper Standards

1) What is a bumper? A bumper is a shield made of steel, aluminum, rubber, or plastic that is mounted on the front and rear of a passenger car. When a low speed collision occurs, the bumper system absorbs the shock to prevent or reduce damage to the car. Some bumpers... read more

Why Pickup Truck And SUV Bumpers Will Never Get Better

Bumpers have been a long standing battle between automakers and auto insurers with consumers stuck in the middle. Automakers want to make lighter, lower-cost, plastic bumpers with sleek cab-forward designs and short overhangs. Insurers want big, strong bumpers that... read more

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT BUMPERS

1. What function should bumpers serve? Bumpers should be designed to protect car bodies from damage in low-speed collisions, absorbing crash energy without significant damage to the bumper itself. Low-speed crashes occur by the thousands every day on congested streets... read more

Don’t Let Naked Drivers ‘Lay You Up’

Someone once referred to motorists driving on the highway without insurance as “naked” drivers. Well, there’s a lot more of them driving on the roadway today than ever before and its only getting worse. As of 2004, 14.6% of all the drivers on the... read more

Five Fairy Tales Of Automobile Bumpers

FAIRY TALE #1 All Automobiles Manufactured In The United States Have 5 MPH Bumpers. FACT: In 1982, the federal government bowed to pressure from automakers and rolled back impact test requirements from 5 to 2.5 mph for 1983 and later model cars. The 2.5 mph standard... read more

The Most Common Complaints About Parking Lot Damage

Anyone who parks in a parking garage or on the street knows all too well the risks involved. Dents, dings and scratches usually end up all over your vehicle, especially on the bumpers. A survey of parking garages indicates that the number of accident related... read more

Four Myths Of Whiplash

Myth #1: If you see that you’re going to get rear-ended and you “tense up” you’re more likely to get injured. Fact: Researchers like Dr. Arthur Croft from the San Diego Spine and Research Clinic and his human crash dummies say you’re less... read more

The Two Most Common Vehicle Accidents

If we take a lesson from well documented fleet vehicle accidents you’ll find that the two most frequent vehicle accidents for fleets are: 1. Getting Hit While Parked and 2. The Rear End Collision. For fleet vehicles in 2006, being hit while parked constituted... read more

Three Reasons To Throw Away Your Spare Tire!

Years ago you wouldn’t dare drive anywhere without a spare tire. Back in the 50’s when I first started to drive you needed a couple of sets of tires on hand. Summer tires and winter tires and, if you got 25,000 miles out of them you were lucky. Back in the... read more

Why Auto Body Repair Shops “Hate Our Guts”

The two most frequent vehicle accidents are getting hit while parked and rear end collision. For the rear end collision, approximately 75% of them are less than 10 miles per hour, 94% occur on straight roads and most are direct hits. The average claim is less than... read more

The Worst SUV Bumpers Ever Tested… The Isuzu Trooper

It sustained $3,317 damage in the 5 mph rear-into-pole impact alone. Intrusion of the spare tire mounted on the back of this SUV crushed both of the rear tailgates and shattered the glass. “This is a very poor performer. The Trooper is the worst midsize SUV... read more

Why Women Almost Always Get Injured In A Rear End Collision

In low speed rear-end collisions (less than10 mph), women are twice as likely to come away with whiplash injuries than men. In low speed rear-end collisions (less than10 mph), women are twice as likely to come away with whiplash injuries than men. Now I don’t want to... read more

Braille Parallel Parkers Cost You Money

Someone once referred to people who parallel park by feel as “braille parkers.” Anyone who parks in a parking garage or on the street knows all too well the risks involved. Dents, dings and scratches usually end up all over your vehicle, especially on the bumpers. In... read more

The 10 Biggest Myths Concerning Our Spare Bumpers

1. They’re Too Short – They Don’t Protect The Corners…Answer: They were designed to protect your vehicle from the two most frequent vehicle accidents – getting hit while parked and the rear end collision. For rear end collisions, 94% occur on straight roads and most... read more

Why Lighted Hitch Steps And Hitch Covers Don’t Work…

If you’re contemplating purchasing a lighted hitch step, hitch cover or any other additional lighting for the rear of your vehicle in hopes that they will prevent a rear end collision here’s the real truth… 48% Of The People That Hit The Rear Of Your Vehicle Are Not... read more