OEM vs. Aftermarket Structural Crash Parts
BodyShop Business tracks how collision industry leaders, parts manufacturers and legislators react to questions raised about the safety of structural aftermarket crash parts.
NYSACTA Calls for Recall of Aftermarket Crash Parts
Group joins growing number of organizations pointing out potential safety issues related to non-OEM parts.
Connecticut Repairers Offer to Check Vehicles for Unsafe Aftermarket Bumpers
Group warns consumers that non-OEM bumpers can affect performance in a crash, says insurers should replace parts free of charge.
NSF International Launches Aftermarket Parts Safety Certification Program
Concerns regarding consumer safety and compromised automobile crashworthiness continue to center on the use of certain aftermarket structural parts. NSF International says it has launched a new Automotive Parts Certification Program, which verifies both the quality and performance of aftermarket auto parts via testing and inspections, to address these concerns. The certification program offers independent,
Carsmetics Express Accident Repair Expands into Georgia
Carsmetics Express Accident Repair has opened its first location in Georgia after experiencing success with 17 locations in Florida and Southern California. “Carsmetics will provide Atlanta car owners with an affordable, high quality repair in 24 hours that will make their car look good again,” said Georgia owner/partner Craig Gonzales. “We’re pleased to offer the
CRA Asks DOI to Trace Aftermarket Bumper Reinforcements Used in Claims
Group says affected policyholders should be alerted to potential safety issues associated with non-OEM parts.
Laws Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving Don’t Reduce Crashes, Insurance Data Indicate
As state legislators across the United States enact laws that ban phoning and/or texting while driving, a new Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) study finds no reductions in crashes after hand-held phone bans take effect. Comparing insurance claims for crash damage in four U.S. jurisdictions before and after such bans, the researchers find steady claim
New Web Site Assists Body Shops with EPA 6H Rule Compliance
GRC-Pirk Management has launched a new Web site, haps6h.com, which links with the U.S. EPA Collision Repair Campaign (CRC). The site is designed to assist body shops in complying with the EPA’s NESHAP 40 CFR 63: Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations at Area Sources; Final Rule, also called the 6H Rule. The HAPs
CA Insurance Commissioner’s Cousin Charged with Insurance Fraud, Embezzlement Totaling $300,000
Auto insurance claims adjuster Paul Poizner, cousin of California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, has been charged with 60 counts of auto insurance fraud and embezzlement, the Los Angeles Times reported. Paul Poizner, an adjuster for California Casualty Management, is accused of submitting auto claims totaling more than the repair cost and pocketing the difference –
STRANGE BUT TRUE: Distracted Driver Shoots His Way Out of Sinking SUV
A California driver who sank his SUV into a creek used an unusual tool to bust his way out – his trusty handgun. The Associated Press reported that the 28-year-old, an armed casino security guard, was startled by his SUV’s hands-free cell phone device on Sunday. The jolt caused the man to swerve, drive the