Hidden Frame Damage Poses Serious Safety Risk to Drivers

FAIRFAX, Va.--April 29, 2005--Hundreds of thousands of cars on the road right now will fail to properly protect their driver and passengers in an accident. The reason: these cars are bought and sold each year without disclosure of damaged or faulty frames.

An improperly repaired frame diminishes the structural integrity of the vehicle and increases the risk of serious injury in an accident. It also may negatively affect the vehicle's other safety features, such as airbag deployment.

A car's frame is one of the most important safety features protecting the driver and passengers in an accident. The frame is engineered to work in conjunction with the car's other safety components, like the seat belts and airbag, to provide maximum protection for all passengers. Any weakness or flaw in the frame can cause the vehicle to react differently than designed in an accident, endangering anyone inside the vehicle as well as others on the road.

To help protect millions of used car buyers and sellers, frame experts are using state-of-the-art laser technology to better detect defects in a car's frame after it has been repaired.

Share with your audience the facts about frame damage and how hidden damage or substandard repairs can put them and their families at greater risk in an accident. Carfax communications director Larry Gamache is available to provide insight on the dangers of driving a car with a poorly repaired frame and how consumers can protect themselves from buying one. Carfax and Chief Automotive Systems recently joined forces to provide consumers with vital information about frame damage and help them more accurately assess the current condition of a vehicle's frame.