KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Many auto-body repair shops in the metro area have filled all their appointment slots, thanks to wrecks caused in part by winter weather conditions.
Terrance Strozier had his dream car, a BMW, for about a week when he hit a patch of ice and lost control.
“It was really scary just not having control of your vehicle. I never felt that feeling before,” he said.
Strozier’s BMW had about $4,500 worth of damage and he hopes all the repairs are done so he can drive it once again next week.
“Hopefully the weather will warm up a little bit and there’s not snow on the ground anymore and I can actually enjoy driving it,” Strozier said.
Butler’s C & D Body Shop in Merriam, Kan., has 18 stalls for cars. With all the slide-offs and spin-outs resulting in damaged cars, the moment one car leaves the stall, another is right behind it.
“It seems like they all come in at the same time and you have to get them out and back on the road, so there’s a lot of overtime involved,” explained Ron Butler, the shop’s owner.
Butler says about two out of every 10 vehicles that come in after a wreck are a total loss.
Experts recommend that anyone in an accident, after they’ve determined they’re not hurt, take pictures of the damage and try to get a police report; important items for an insurance claim.
