Being able to freely operate cars, motorcycles, and trucks makes it convenient to travel from one place to another in a short amount of time. According to Fortune Magazine, the average American vehicle will spend 95% of its lifetime parked. However, during those fragile times when it's not parked but in operation on the road, a devastating accident can occur. Being involved in a vehicle collision can affect you emotionally as much as it can physically and financially. Even if you walk away without a scratch after your car goes to a collision center, you may have stress for many reasons. Read on for some very helpful tips on how you can reduce such post-collision stress.

Reach Out to Your Insurance Provider Early

After an accident, one of the first things you should do is contact your insurance provider. They may have a specific process they want you to follow in order to get the repairs you need fully covered. Your insurance agent can tell you which auto body shops you can take your vehicle to, narrowing down your list of options substantially. They may have information about the services offered by prospective auto collision centers in your area so you can choose the best one for your situation. Most importantly, they can let you know what to expect from the auto body repair process. With their support, you’ll be well on your way to a simple, stress-free collision repair experience.

Find One Auto Collision Center to Handle Everything

The last thing you want to do while dealing with post-accident trauma is transport your damaged vehicle to multiple auto shops. Your best option is to find an auto collision center that can handle all the repairs your vehicle needs. Ideally, the shop you choose should handle mechanical repairs, structural repairs, suspension repairs, engine repairs, wheel repairs, and any other services your vehicle may need after an accident. With support from a full-service collision center, you can rest easy and take care of yourself, knowing that your vehicle is in good hands.

Get a New Paint Job to Make This Experience More Worthwhile

Since your car will be in the collision center for a while, you might as well benefit from their other services. If you’ve always wanted to get a custom paint job or just change the color of your vehicle, ask the technicians about the paint services they offer. This way, even though your car is out of commission for a little while, it’ll come back better than it ever was before. You don’t have to wait for collision repairs to be complete before upgrading your vehicle with a full-body paint service.

Have Your Car Detailed Before You Pick It Up

Accidents don’t just make a mess of a vehicle’s body panels, but they can also lead to interior messes, too. If you had open food or drink containers around during the collision, there might be quite a mess waiting for you. Don’t take it upon yourself to clean all of this up while you’re recovering from the emotional side of the accident. Instead, ask if your auto collision center offers detailing services. When you go to get your car back, you should be able to drive away in a beautifully clean and fully functional vehicle.

Take Care of Yourself While You Wait

Unfortunately, it may take a while before you get your car back after an accident. While the auto body technicians treat your car right by repairing damage to its frame and body panels, you should treat yourself right, too. For example, you could try picking up meditation as a way to recover emotionally from the accident.

Meditation is a great way to use mindful thinking and breathing exercises to keep your body and mind relaxed. If you're having problems sleeping after your accident, daily meditation can give you the calming relief you need. You can meditate when you wake up in the morning, at lunch, or right before bedtime. You can even use meditative music to help put you in a calm state of mind. The best way to meditate is to find a quiet spot where you won't be disturbed for at least five to 15 minutes, so you can completely chill out.

Try to Enjoy Your Time Without Your Vehicle

Unfortunately, an accident may mean your car will be at the collision center for a while. During this time, you may need an alternate mode of transportation. This may be a good time to invest in regular walks if you haven't done so already. Even if you rent a car for regular transportation during this time, take advantage of walking in nature for your mental well-being. Is there a park nearby? Are you near a lake or a pond? Being in nature allows you to focus on the peacefulness around you and get away from the noises of the city. Exploring nature is also a great way to take your mind off the accident since you're less likely to be around cars that might trigger memories of what happened.

Go to Counseling

Don't forget to seek professional help. Many accidents happen every day so there are other people in the same situation. Seek out local support groups where you can talk in a group setting and share your thoughts about how you're feeling after the accident. You can also get one-on-one support from a psychiatrist, who can help you with any lingering post-traumatic stress. You can also utilize telemedicine which allows you to get online mental support from a practitioner in your area even while you’re without your primary form of transportation. With support, you can enjoy driving again even after a major accident.

Find a Legal Professional

Last but certainly not least, seek legal advice. Once you've taken your car to the collision center, you should immediately seek the help of a local legal professional. You must know your rights after being involved in any vehicle collision. Whether it's to cover the costs of repairing damage to your car or compensate for any work you've had to miss because of physical pain or mental stress, you should get the compensation you deserve. A personal injury lawyer can help ensure you get the right insurance payouts. After a collision, you may have mediation or a court trial to deal with. Your legal professional will do what they can to settle with the other party since mediation is best for everyone as it doesn't involve the time-consuming elements of a trial. However, if both parties don't agree to mediation, then going to court will be necessary. Luckily your lawyer will collect all the evidence, file the paperwork needed, and represent you in court.

Even without physical injury, you may suffer emotional and mental scars from a vehicle collision. Understand that you are not alone in this situation and there are many ways that you can help reduce stress. This list provides many helpful options, but it’s important to find the right solutions for you. As long as you take care of yourself and allow your auto body technicians to take care of your vehicle, you should come through this situation just fine. Our auto professionals at your local collision center will do everything we can to restore your car to pre-accident condition. Call us today at City Side Auto Body. We are glad to help you in this situation.