Is a Wheel Being Knocked Out of Alignment Considered a Major Accident?
4 Answers
Having a car tire knocked out of alignment is not considered a major accident; it falls under minor accidents. Minor accidents: Refer to incidents that result in minor injuries to 1 or 2 people, or involve relatively small property damage. General accidents: Refer to incidents that result in serious injuries to 1 or 2 people, or minor injuries to 3 or more people, or involve moderate property damage. Major accidents: Refer to incidents that result in the death of 1 or 2 people, or serious injuries to 3 to 10 people, or involve significant property damage. Catastrophic accidents: Refer to incidents that result in the death of 3 or more people, or serious injuries to 11 or more people, or the death of 1 person along with serious injuries to 8 or more people, or the death of 2 people along with serious injuries to 5 or more people.
After driving for so many years, my deepest realization is that a bent wheel shouldn't be judged too quickly. That time when I accidentally scraped the curb while reversing, my right front wheel immediately went out of alignment. Just replacing the tire alone cost me 2,000 RMB. What made it worse was when the mechanic inspected it and said the suspension link was also deformed and the chassis bushing was cracked—the repair bill skyrocketed to over 8,000 RMB. Now when selling the car, dealers keep bringing this up and knocked 20,000 RMB off the price. So whether this counts as a major accident really depends on whether core components were damaged. If it's just a wheel replacement, it might be manageable, but if the chassis or steering system is compromised—expensive to fix and a safety hazard—then it's definitely major accident territory.
I usually enjoy studying the construction of car components. The most troublesome aspect of a bent wheel is the chain reaction of damage it can cause, such as deformation of the suspension system's lower control arm or loosening of the ball joints. Last time, my buddy's car got hit, and he thought a bent wheel was no big deal, but upon inspection, it turned out the half-shaft was also bent. During the repair, the entire suspension assembly had to be removed, the chassis data had to be realigned, and the wheel alignment was adjusted three times before it met the standards. Labor costs alone took up a significant portion of the bill. What's even more frustrating is that certain aluminum suspension components can only be replaced, not repaired. From this perspective, any damage to the running gear means repair costs and time far exceed those of a simple scratch. Technically speaking, this already qualifies as structural damage in an accident.
Misaligned wheels directly threaten driving safety, which is my biggest concern. The steering wheel tends to pull uncontrollably, the car body shakes violently during emergency braking, and it's prone to skidding in rainy weather. I remember an accident where a car suddenly lost control on the highway—later investigations revealed it was caused by unrepaired wheel rim deformation. Now, whenever I get my car serviced, I insist that mechanics thoroughly inspect the steering knuckle and bearings, as these components are most susceptible to hidden damage from impacts. If a collision causes frame misalignment, even professional adjustments may fail to restore the original factory condition. Therefore, when it comes to driving safety, no damage, no matter how minor, should be taken lightly.
