If you’ve ever found yourself hurtling down 28th Street or winding through the tight bends on Heritage Hill and experienced that sudden, dreadful thud of a tire colliding with the concrete, then you know the sheer panic that grips you. While it may not look like a major collision to the naked eye when a car crash into a curb, a three-thousand-pound vehicle slamming against a fixed object will cause considerable damage. We are here to tell you that yes, you should call for a professional towing service immediately following an incident like this.
When your car crashes into an object like a curb, you are sending a huge amount of kinetic energy through the frame of your vehicle. Instead of a “crumple zone” that would have absorbed most of it when colliding with another automobile, there’s only the curb. The energy is going to transfer into your wheel, your axle, and your suspension system. Do not attempt to drive your car if it has crashed into a curb when you are near the Grand River or if you are stranded by the Van Andel Arena. D & R Enterprise can fix the issue before you turn it into an irreparable loss.
The Immediate Danger of a Curb-Related Car Crash
You might think to yourself, “It was only a curb.” However, there are too many drivers who have tried to nurse their cars home after a car crash with a curb and ended up having their wheel fly off on the S-curve of the US-131. That situation is lethal! The internal steering parts on your car’s rack may actually crack in an automobile collision with a curb and may cause you to notice a lack of responsiveness in the steering wheel and have the car pull to the right, for example.
That is why Towing Services in Grand Rapids, MI are as big a part of emergency services as they are today. Stay in your vehicle with your hazard lights flashing and await the tow truck. A simple hook and chain tow might cause damage to your frame in a wreck as well. D & R Enterprise knows this.
Assessing the Mechanical Damage After a Car Crash
Modern vehicles use strut suspension systems, which are not designed to take side-impact forces.
1. The Control Arms and Bushings
The control arm is the “hinge” that allows your wheels to go up and down. In a car accident, this arm will typically be bent. You will hear an extremely noticeable vibration in the floorboards.
2. The Tie Rods
These are the slim metal rods that connect your steering box to your wheels. In a car wreck, these are usually the first things to snap. If your tie rod snaps while you are driving near Medical Mile, you lose all ability to steer that wheel.
3. The Wheel Hub and Bearing
The impact of the car wreck could cause the bearing to flat-spot inside your hub. This can go unnoticed for about a week. It should produce a very high pitched hum, which will be louder when accelerating.
| Component | Symptoms After a Car Crash | Risk Level |
| Tie Rod | The steering wheel is crooked, and the handling is loose. | EXTREME |
| Control Arm | Thumping sound over bumps. | High |
| Wheel Rim | Visible cracks or “chunks” missing from metal. | Medium/High |
| CV Axle | Clicking noises when turning. | High |
Navigating Grand Rapids Landmarks After an Accident
We know this city inside and out. If your car wreck happens while you are trying to find parking near the John Ball Zoo or if you hit a patch of black ice near the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, you aren’t just a number to me. The geography of our city makes a car wreck more likely than you’d think.
If you are stuck near the Grand Rapids Public Museum, we know the traffic patterns well enough to get a truck to you before the congestion peaks. At D & R Enterprise, we prioritize safety and speed because we know how vulnerable you feel standing on a busy street like Fulton or Division.
Why You Shouldn’t Drive After the Impact
Don’t try to drive away after a car crash where you hit the curb. Your sidewall on the tire may appear okay. But it could be internally fractured, and a blowout at 60 mph on I-196 is the end.
Furthermore, if your car accident resulted in a cracked oil pan or a punctured radiator, your engine will overheat and seize within minutes. Calling D & R Enterprise for a tow is much cheaper than replacing an entire engine block.
When the Damage Is Beyond Repair
Sometimes, a car crash is the “final straw” for an older vehicle. If your car is a 2005 model and the repair bill for the suspension, subframe, and steering rack comes out to $3,500, you are essentially looking at a totaled vehicle. In these cases, you don’t need a repair shop. You need Junk Cars for Cash in Grand Rapids, MI.
We see this often in the East Hills and Belknap Lookout areas. Residents realize that the cost of fixing a car after a significant car wreck simply doesn’t make sense. Instead of letting that car sit in your driveway and leak fluids into the Michigan soil, you can turn that headache into a profit.
Exploring Your Options for Disposal
If the car wreck left your vehicle completely immobile and the frame is bent, you should look into Scrap Car Buying Services. This is a great way to recoup some of your losses. I’ve helped many people in the Grandville and Wyoming suburbs transition from a wrecked car to a fresh start.
At D & R Enterprise, we treat every client with respect, whether you are calling for a 5-mile tow or looking to sell a car that was destroyed in a car wreck. We provide transparent pricing so you know exactly where you stand.
How to Document the Incident for Insurance
When it comes to paperwork following your car crash, be intelligent even though there were no other cars. Insurance may cover the collision aspect of hitting the curb.
- Take Photographs: Photograph the curb, the tire marks, and the extent of damage to the wheel.
- Note location: “Were you close to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum?” A precise landmark would assist the adjustor.
- Get a Professional Assessment: When we arrive with the tow truck from D & R Enterprise, we can often point out visible damage that you might have missed.
If you find that the insurance company wants to “total” the car, that is when our Junk Car Buying in Grand Rapids, MI service becomes your best friend. We make the process of moving on from a car wreck as seamless as possible.
Winter Hazards in the Furniture City
The Grand Rapids winters are brutal. A “minor” slide and a car wreck into a curb on Wealthy Street may quickly escalate into a car accident with a curb. The road salt you encounter weakens your car’s suspension system over time, which can make it even more likely to break.
When you have a car crash, and you’re by the Devos Place Convention Center during a blizzard, there’s not much you can do except take responsibility and call a tow truck for recovery of the automobile.
Final Safety Checklist
To summarize, if you have a car crash into a curb:
- Stop the vehicle immediately.
- Check for leaks (Red = Transmission, Brown/Black = Oil, Green/Orange = Coolant).
- Check if the steering wheel is centered.
- Call D & R Enterprise at the first sign of trouble.
A car wreck is never fun, but it does not have to be an insurmountable setback. Whether it’s getting the car towed to a local mechanic in the vicinity of Reeds Lake or arranging for a cash offer to take your car as-is to the scrap yard after a car crash, we are here for you and will take good care of your car.
You can count on us to get you home in one piece. Your safety is not worth what a tow is worth. You definitely don’t want to be navigating the streets of Grand Rapids with a accidenr and unsafe machine. We get all the heavy work taken care of.
The Physics of a Curb Strike
Velocity is your number one enemy in a car wreck. If you hit a curb at 5 miles an hour while parallel parking next to Rosa Parks Circle, you will only scratch your wheel. If you have a car wreck due to veering for a deer and moving 35 miles per hour, it will be multiplied by exponential proportions.
We often explain to our customers at D & R Enterprise that the “unsprung weight” of your car takes the full hit. In a typical car crash, the springs absorb the shock. In a curb strike, there is no “give.” This is why even a “small” car accident can be so expensive.
Why Flatbed Towing is Essential for Curb Crashes
When we pull up to a car wreck scene near Ah-Nab-Awen Park, we always assess if a flatbed is necessary. If your front-wheel-drive car has a broken axle from a car accident, dragging it with a wheel lift will destroy the transmission.
At D & R Enterprise, we care for all the vehicles that we transport as if they were our very own. When we know you’ve been in an accident, the last thing that you will need is a reckless tow truck driver with no regard for the integrity of your remaining good parts and the way that they are being used. We’ll be sure that we are taking all the necessary precautions to ensure that your remaining good parts aren’t strained.
Your Local Grand Rapids Partner
No matter where you are in the city, from the West Side to the Southeast neighborhoods, a car crash is a major disruption. We want you to know that you have a partner in D & R Enterprise. From the moment of the car crash to the moment your car is either fixed or sold for scrap, we are here to provide the most reliable service in West Michigan. Call us at (616)08199334 and get your vehicle towed.