A DRIVER took her sedan to the car wash to clean dirt from the exterior, but she walked away with $1,500 in damage.
The Volkswagen Jetta owner said she almost had to pay for the damage before the car wash company stepped in to help – but a simple document could help drivers in similar situations.
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Lynzee Delapaz brought her silver sedan to a Quick Quack Car Wash, according to the Salt Lake City-based NBC affiliate KSL-TV.
But in the middle of washing she felt a jolt.
“There was a jeep in front of me,” Delpaz told the station.
“In the middle of the car wash, she left the road, which pulled my car into the back of her Jeep.”
Read more about car maintenance
Video from the car wash shows the Jetta crashing into the back of a Jeep Wrangler four times.
The station reported that it took car wash staff 22 seconds to shut down the system and prevent the accident.
The collision caused $1,540 in damage, Delpaz, a mechanic, estimated.
“This piece of paint was removed and all this dent right here,” she told the station as she pointed to the damage to the hood of her car.
Delpaz said managers at the car wash told him the Jeep driver had accidentally turned the steering wheel.
But Becky Lutz, the driver of the Wrangler, said she never touched the steering wheel. She had been through the car wash several times and knew how to operate her vehicle.
“It’s definitely not my fault,” Lutz told the station.
“I know you’re not supposed to touch the steering wheel. You don’t touch the brakes. You leave the car in neutral. You just let it do what it wants.”
Initially, drivers believed they would have to resolve damage claims through their car insurers, although none of the people thought they were wrong.
An initial statement from the car wash to the television station stated that the company was not responsible for paying for the damages.
Car Insurance Tips
Here are some ways to reduce your monthly car insurance rates:
- Increase the deductible – this can increase the amount drivers must pay in the event of an accident
- Ask insurers for discounts
- Slow down on the road
- Keep your cell phone away from the steering wheel
- Improve credit score (in some states)
- Insurance policy package
Source: Mutual Freedom
“Quick Quack Car Wash’s highest priority is always our customers’ experience every time they visit a store,” the company told KSL-TV in an emailed statement.
“On the day of this incident, the equipment surrounding this event was functioning properly and did not exhibit any problems or deviations from standard operation and did not cause this incident.”
The company said it spoke with Lutz and Delapaz about how to help drivers.
But eventually the company helped.
In-house adjusters for the car wash service contacted Delapaz and offered to pay the driver’s compensation.
Quick Quack Car Wash did not immediately respond to the US Sun’s request for comment.
PICK UP YOUR PHONE
Lawyers told the television station that drivers in similar car wash incidents should pick up their phones and immediately call police.
Car washes are typically not responsible for damage to your property unless owners can prove they were negligent.
Therefore, relying on the generosity shown by Quick Quack Car Wash is not always the most effective solution.
Lawyers have advised drivers to ask police for a police report after car wash damage to ensure there are legal documents in any potential legal battle.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
