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Midland Body Shops Bursting at Seams - 1/18/13
Matt Rist
mrist@ cbs7.com
CBS 7 News Reporter
January 17, 2012
MIDLAND –It’s a danger that has touched many West Texans and it can lead to everything from traffic tickets to fatal crashes. We’re talking about distracted driving and it carries costs that you might not think about.
Midlanders are feeling the crunch of accidents, even fender benders, as local body shops see a dramatic increase in crashes...and wait times.
From dents to scratches to totals--why are midland body shops so full?
"The number one thing is texting, that just gets your eyes off what you're doing,” said Michael Lozano, Owner of Midland Collision Center.
Midlander Celeste Smith is all too familiar with the scenario--she and her family were rear ended by a distracted driver last year.
"It was scary, they hit us from the back and completely totaled our vehicle, he hit us hard,” Smith said.
Like many shop owners, there’s a backlog of repairs from minor and major accidents.
"It's every shop in town, with so many accidents, everyone is backed up,” Lozano said.
Smith says the solution to avoiding a costly trip to the body shop is simple.
"Keep your phone down, don't mess with your phone while driving, it's just dangerous,” Smith said.
Shop owners told us to be careful when you get an estimate for minor damage -- you never know just how much it's going to cost until it's taken apart. Sometimes people choose to pay out of pocket instead of notifying insurance companies, but that could cost you.