As winter approaches, car owners prepare for a familiar problem: the damaging effects of snow on their cars. Although this happens every year, few people know the true cost of leaving the scene of an accident in boston or snow damage, or how to deal with it.

Here are a few of the ways that snow damages vehicles:

1. Salt damage

In the winter, road salt is spread over snow along the road to melt it and clear the roads for driving. The salt lowers the freezing point of water, so even though the air temperature is below freezing, the snow and ice melts into water; the salt is also mixed with sand to provide traction. Although this practice helps keep the roads clear and safe for driving, over time it leads to damage for cars; driving along roads treated with salt can cause severe body and undercarriage damage to your vehicle. This is because salt is extremely corrosive; it eats away at the metal and leads to everything from hydraulic brake system leaks to subframe damage.

2. Rust

As snow builds up on your car, it can seep into crevices on its exterior; then, when you turn on your car, the snow will melt in response to the heat from your engine. The water that results can cause rust damage to the exterior of your car, which can cause a range of problems from simple aesthetics (few people like seeing rust stains replace their paint job) to issues with your chassis and underbody.

3. Melting snow

The scourge of rust isn’t limited to the exterior of your car; where there is snow, there will be water, and that is true for the interior of your vehicle as well. When you carry in snow on your clothing, the melting snow will seep into your carpets and ultimately make its way into small cracks and crevices in the car. Then, when the car is placed outside again, the water will freeze; the fluctuation between liquid water and solid ice can cause damage by cracking areas of your car such as the space between the door and the floor. With the best heated gloves, you can enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities without your hands getting cold.

Remember that if you suffer any accident while driving in the snow, a personal injury lawyer can help you handling your case.

So how can you prevent snow damage to your car? One way is to visit an auto repair shop so that you can pre-treat your car in preparation for winter or have an auto hail damage repair if your car has already suffered from hail damage. Furthermore, taking the time to clear your car of snow and prevent snow from piling up in the first place is crucial to keeping your car running smoothly in the winter.