Bodyshops to Experience Boost of Repairs in March

AX, the leading provider of accident assistance to the automotive trade, has reported that March is set to be one of the busiest months for car retailers and bodyshops, with March being among the wettest months of the year.

Research shows that nearly 1 in 5 accidents happen in rush hour and almost 1 in 6 prangs happen in the 10 minute period starting at 5:00pm.

Accident aftercare service is needed after hours to help capture boyshop work during peak times, as a 10-minute spike in winter prangs, bumps and scrapes between 5:00pm – 5:10pm.

193,000 road accidents are predicted to take place in March.

Scott Hamilton-Cooper, sales and operations director at AX, said, “The March spike provides a timely reminder that dealers without an accident assistance programme not only stand to lose valuable repair work, but risk losing customers altogether.”

57,000 vehicle accidents managed by AX, on behalf of its automotive and insurance industry partner, show that the evening commute between 4pm – 6pm accounts for nearly 1/5 of accidents on any given day. The second busiest time for accidents is between 2pm-4pm (school run period).

34% of accidents involve 1 car hitting the rear of another. A further 31% of accidents involve a moving car hitting a parked car.

Hamilton-Cooper, said: “Braking distances double in the wet and can be up to 10 times longer in snowy or icy conditions, so it’s not surprising that almost a third of the accidents we’ve dealt with are the result of a driver losing control and hitting a parked vehicle. Workshops and bodyshops should make sure they are adequately stocked with spare parts and staffed well to deal with the surge in repair requests.”