Canadians are divided about who to call in the case of an accident � Now there�s 1-800-CARSTAR!
HAMILTON � April 14th, 2005 � New poll results released today found that 65% of Canadians have been involved in an auto vehicle accident and 82% found the experience to be stressful. Women were more likely to find the experience stressful (88%) than men (76%). The poll, commissioned by 1-800-CARSTAR, also found that more men (70%) than women (60%) have been involved in accidents.
The poll also revealed that the highest accident rate was in the 35-49 age group, with British Columbia reporting the highest accident rates (76%) and Atlantic Canada reporting the lowest (57%). Additionally, 33% of Canadians polled said they �think� they would know what to do in case of an accident while 9% said they weren�t sure or would have no idea what to do if involved in an accident.
�Unfortunately the majority of Canadians will experience an auto vehicle accident in their lifetime and the experience is stressful,� said Sam Mercanti, President and CEO of CARSTAR Automotive Canada, which is announcing Canada�s only national, toll-free 1-800 �Accident Assistance� service (1-800-CARSTAR) designed specifically to help Canadians if they are in an accident. �We created Canada�s first �Accident Assistance� service, so we can take care of everything for consumers in an accident situation.
While other companies offer �roadside assistance�, which includes services such as a battery boost, changing a flat tire, gas delivery and winching service, 1-800-CARSTAR is a free service that is dedicated to provide Canadians with 24-7 Accident Assistance. Once a consumer calls 1-800-CARSTAR, the trained Accident Specialist service professional who answers the call and the local CARSTAR store can help them with every aspect of their accident.
This includes everything from arranging towing and car rentals, helping to contact insurance companies, and transferring to the nearest CARSTAR Collision Repair Centre where customers receive top-quality vehicle repairs backed by Canada�s only Lifetime Nationwide Warranty.
Unlike most �roadside assistance� programs, 1-800-CARSTAR is a complimentary service and requires no membership fee.
�Not only is the 1-800-CARSTAR service free, including free towing, it is also available across North America, which is good for Canadians who travel in the US,� said Mercanti.
According to the poll, Canadians were divided on who to call in the event of an accident, with 22% who would call a family member, 31% would call 9-1-1 emergency response and 26% would call the police. 12% of Canadians don�t know who they would call if they were involved in an auto vehicle accident.
�With 1-800-CARSTAR, now Canadians can call just one number to be taken care of completely,� said Mercanti.
Over a third of Canadians don�t believe they are obligated to inform their insurance company that they have been involved in an auto vehicle accident despite the amount of damage or whether or not any other vehicles were involved.
�Drivers must inform their insurance companies of any vehicle accident, regardless of damage or how many vehicles are involved,� said Mercanti. �This shows that there is still education to be done for Canadian drivers when it comes to accidents.�
CARSTAR Automotive Canada has grown from eight locations in two provinces to over 100 locations in ten provinces in just 10 years. CARSTAR repairs approximately one in 20 vehicles in Canada � 6,000 vehicles per month � with high rates of customer satisfaction.
Driving and Collisions in Canada
According to Transport Canada there are over 19 million vehicles on our roads and over 21 million drivers operating vehicles across more than 900,000 km of roads.1 When health care costs, property losses and other factors are considered, the economic cost of traffic collisions to Canadians is as high as $25 billion annually.
About the 1-800-CARSTAR Poll
The 1-800-CARSTAR poll was conducted by telephone using TNS Canadian Facts� omnibus survey, TNS Express Telephone. The sample is nationally representative of Canadian adults 18 years of age and older and is designed to provide coverage of all households with telephones except those in the northern territories.
A total of 1,015 Canadians were interviewed between January 24th and 27th, 2005. The survey results are considered accurate within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
About CARSTAR Automotive Canada
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, CARSTAR Automotive Canada is the only nationwide quality collision repair franchise. With over 300 locations across North America, CARSTAR is the leader in the automotive collision repair industry. Founded in Hamilton, Ontario, CARSTAR Automotive Canada has grown from eight to over 100 locations in just 10 years. CARSTAR repairs approximately one in 20 vehicles in Canada � 6,000 vehicles per month � with high rates of customer satisfaction. CARSTAR also offers the 1-800-CARSTAR service, which provides consumers with 24-7 accident assistance. For more information, please visit CARSTAR at www.carstar.ca
