Your car's body may not seem like a critical part of the car, but it protects you from weather elements, protects the critical parts of the car, and also protects you during an accident. You should be aware of the common causes of auto body damage so you can prevent them or fix the problems as soon as they occur. Here are some of the common causes of auto body damage.

Collisions

In any type of collision, the body of the car comes into contact first with the other object or animal. This means the body of the car will sustain some damages even in minor accidents. You can't drive away without a dent or paint scratch after an accident – even a fender bender.

Weather

Various weather elements affect your cars body. The sun, rainfall, snowfall, humidity, hailstorms, and flooding all affect your cars body.  For example, prolonged exposure to rainfall (for example, if you regularly leave your car parked in the rain) increases the risk of rust. Hailstones can dent your car's body and sunlight causes fading that interferes with the aesthetics of the car.

Vandalism and Theft

Vandalism can also affect your car's body in various ways; the damage depends on the actions of the vandals or thieves. For example, some teens think it's cool to scratch signs on cars, but this damages car paint. Thieves may crack the glass to steal things inside the car or make away with small parts of the car such as side mirrors. Such damages are common if you park in unsecured places such as the street.

Rough Roads

Driving on rough roads (especially if you are driving at high speed) can also damage your car. The existence of loose road debris (think stones), uneven road surfaces, and potholes all increase the risk of damage on rough roads. For example, rocks on the road can damage the exhaust pipe or crack the oil pan, with the latter leading to oil leaks. Road pebbles may also hit and crack your auto glass.

Negligent Washing

Lastly, you might also damage your car if you don't wash it properly. Using abrasive cleaning materials, for example, can scratch the paint of the car's body. Failure to rinse the car properly may cause the paint to fade, especially if you make a habit of it.

Hopefully, your car won't suffer body damage any time soon. If your car does suffer damage to its body because these are the problems auto repair shops deal with regularly. Contact an auto repair shop for a repair quote.