Insurance Group: Fender Benders Can Be Costly

Crash tests on mid-size cars, conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), revealed that most bumper systems do little to protect these vehicles from expensive damage in most "fender benders" -- low-speed collisions that often occur in traffic and in parking lots. In the 6 m.p.h. tests, mid-size cars sustained as much as $9,000 in damage. According to the IIHS, "insurance claims of $4,500 or less for damage in these crashes total more than $6 billion each year."

• Read the IIHS Press Release
• Video: IIHS Low-Speed Crash Program
• Crash Tests Expose Fender Bender Costs (Associated Press/FindLaw)
• Motor Vehicle Accidents (FindLaw)