I've just been rear ended. How can I check for damage?

Question

Somebody drove into the back of my 2003 Opel Agila at about 5-10mph.

There is no damage to the bumper apart from a large dent but I'm worried there may be hidden internal damage.

What can I do to check the car is still safe and not damaged?

Should I take it to a garage to check tracking, suspension and things?

EDIT: The car is completely driveable and there is a tiny chip in the bumper, but I am still worried that there is hidden internal damage. The boot shuts properly and the rear doors seem to be flush with the bumper.

Answer 1

Not sure how things work were you are. Here if you are rear ended, it is considered to be the fault of the person who hit you, so their insurance will pay for the damage. If this is the case, you might as well take it to a shop and have them take a look at it.

I work on all my own cars, and don't like taking my cars to shops. I've been in several accidents and have always repaired everything myself. At that speed, it is unlikely the damage is anything more than cosmetic. I would check that your truck latch and tail lights are still functioning properly.

Look for any damage to the exhaust.
You can look for any damage in the following locations:

• Exhaust system (Silencer, pipes, and mountings),
• Under the car,
• Under/behind the trunk carpet,
• behind the bumper cover (exposing the metal bumper).

I would highly doubt an impact at that speed would be enough to affect suspension or braking.

Answer 2

Another thing to check immediately that is often not visually obvious is whether your trunk opens, closes and locks easily and reliably. Not much can be damaged at that speed, but even slight damage to the trunk can bend it enough to cause locking difficulty. It would really suck if you let go that careless driver after visually inspecting your car to notice that the trunk will no longer close after opening when you come home.