If you happen to live in a place where hailstorms are common, like Rapid City, South Dakota, you’re well aware of the possibility of being caught in one while driving. Hail the size of a golf ball or greater can significantly damage a vehicle, but even smaller sized hail can still pose risks to your car, you and your passengers. The idea is to reduce the chance of vehicle hail damage as much as possible.
Here are a few of the ways that you can protect yourself and your car if you’re driving when a hailstorm starts and what to do after the storm has passed.
Pull Over in a Sheltered Location
As soon as you notice hail stones, turn on your flashers and slow your vehicle down. Instruct any passengers to move away from the windows as much as possible. Immediately look for a chance to pull your car over in a sheltered location. Preferably, you should find someplace that will cover your car from the storm as much as possible, such as a covered parking garage. If your only option is an overpass, be sure to pull completely off the road, knowing the wind can blow hail sideways and hit your vehicle anyways. But some shelter is better than none. Anything that will be able to block hail stones from hitting your car and prevent the need for vehicle hail damage repair is a good spot to stop during a storm.
Protect Yourself and Stay Away from Windows
After you’ve found a place to shelter your car, the next step is to protect yourself and your passengers. Be sure to stay in the vehicle at all times since hail can inflict severe injuries to the human body. Move away from the windows as much as you can, perhaps by getting into the backseat or reclining your seat. Keeping a blanket in the car is good for a multitude of scenarios, and one of those reasons is that you can use it to cover yourself during a hailstorm. Since large enough hailstones can severely dent metal and crack or shatter windows, you should cover yourself and your passengers with a blanket to protect against shattered glass from broken windows.
Check the Weather Before You Start Driving Again
If it seems like the hailstorm has cleared up, it’s a good idea to double-check with a weather app on your phone to make sure that is the case. A lull in the storm is not always an indication that it has completely passed. Your safety and the condition of your vehicle is paramount, and is worth waiting until the doppler radar indicates the storm has moved on. Even once you’ve confirmed that it’s safe to leave your sheltered area, you should also be very careful of the hailstones on the road that could impair your driving and that of others on the road.
Once the storm is over, you can check for any damage and contact your local dent shop about any auto hail damage that your car may have sustained during the storm. Dent removal doesn’t have to be invasive or expensive, so be sure to get more than one professional estimate regarding your options for vehicle hail repair. Contact Dent Shop today to learn more about modern hail damage repair methods that restore your vehicle’s value and appearance!