Greetings & welcome all to my inaugural blog ! It is my intent to make this an interactive event and I welcome comments on posts and topics of discussion for future blogs. It is our belief at Kingston Collision that knowledge is power, meaning that a well informed consumer is better able to have a success repair experience.
        Accidents and automotive breakdowns can be a very disruptive and, in some cases, traumatic experience. Armed with the proper knowledge in can be a lot easier to navigate the processes.
       When an accident occurs the main thing is to remain calm and insure the health and safety of your passengers and yourself ! Vehicles can be replaced ! The next step we recommend is to contact police & emergency personnel. A police report of the accident and scene is a very important part of the settlement process. While waiting for authorities to arrive, do not allow anyone to move any vehicles involved until police have recorded the scene ! The best thing you can do is have someone you trust take photos or video the scene from your cell phone. A picture is worth a thousand words.
       During the wait, you should also obtain the other party's vehicle information. Year,make & model of vehicle/vehicles involved, insurance company listed on their ID card, making sure to note the policy number. Also, the full name and address of the driver as this may not be the legal owner of the vehicle involved. This is another area where cell phone photos can save time and preserve the facts.
       From this point forward through the repair process New York State law provides you as the owner of the vehicle specific rights. The first being the choice of who tows your vehicle, if non-drivable and the most important of all where you would like your vehicle taken for repairs. NYS Insurance regulation 64 gives you the right to have your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice !! No matter what repair facility you chose, make sure it is YOUR choice not that of someone on the other end of a phone call who knows nothing about you or the area you live in.
       I hope that this brief blog gives everyone some basic information and opens up many topics for future discussion. I welcome & look forward to any comments and suggestions.
       From the staff at Kingston Collision, we would like to wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year !