Vehicle complexity, including the growing average number of replacement parts — up by 15% — and lightweight parts that more often need to be replaced instead of repaired, means repair times are longer and the labor required for this is more specialized.

This has increased severity. Meanwhile, claims frequency is down. In this CollisionCast episode, John Barbagallo, strategic advisor for fleet safety and compliance telematics firm SambaSafety, talks about some of the reasons for that, as well as the driving behaviors defined by insurers as high-risk. SambaSafety just released its 2025 Driver Risk Report. Click here to learn more.

A paint booth is essentially a large air mover. The freer air can move in and out, the better off you'll be. But if a booth is imbalanced, the air can be turbulent and dirty, and that creates more work to sand out and polish dirt nibs. In this CollisionCast episode, sponsored by Accudraft Paint Booths, Editor-in-Chief Jay Sicht sits down with Jeremy Winters, content and marketing at Accudraft, to talk about the importance of having the right amount of airflow for each refinish coating.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, formed in 1949 by what is now known as Mental Health America. This year, its campaign theme is "Turn Awareness into Action," which celebrates "the progress we've made in recognizing the importance of mental health — and challenging us to turn understanding into meaningful steps toward change."

In this month's FenderBender magazine feature, Andy Tylka, owner of TAG Auto Group in Indiana, understands these challenges firsthand. And he’s working hard to ensure that his employees have the mental health resources they need, with no shame attached. We followed up with him for this CollisionCast to learn more about how he's helping not only his employees but their children, and the automotive industry at large, see how there should not be a stigma around mental healthcare.

Join this episode of the CollisionCast, in which Mike Brockway, owner of Dabler Auto Body & Collision Repair in Salem, Oregon, talks with Editor-in-Chief Jay Sicht about some of the challenges facing the collision repair industry today, including pushback from insurers on certain line items, and how he plans to meet the challenges in the coming months.

Beginning in May, 3M is rolling out its new Front Office Collision Repair Training course.

Intended for repair planners/estimators, adjusters, collision repair shop managers and owners, the focus of the three-day course is on foundational processes in the body repair and paint shop areas.

The course is aimed at helping these front office professionals better understand the repair process and promote accurate repair plan/estimate writing and communication to insurance claims for higher quality repairs.

In this CollisionCast episode, sponsored by AMAROK, Editor-in-Chief Jay Sicht sits down with AMAROK Enterprise Development Manager Jackson Skey to talk about how improving your collision repair shop's security can be a turnkey solution that can give your customers peace of mind their vehicle is being cared for. It can even save time and reduce vehicle damage because vehicles may not need to be jockeyed around just so they can be stored inside each night. 

To learn more about AMAROK, click here!

Women are not well represented in collision repair, and there’s one organization that aims to support women in this male-dominated field.

Liz Stein, vice president of strategic initiatives at Certified Collision Group and current WIN chair, and Cheryl Boswell, CFO and partner for DCR Systems and a past WIN chair, discuss the importance of WIN and its impact.

Following OEM procedures closely is needed not only to ensure proper calibrations of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS,) but can also help seed up works in process (WIP.) Hear how the co-founders of Lightning Auto Service advocate for proper procedures and some steps they've taken to reduce friction with insurers. Check out some of the resources they've made available here. 

Caliber Collision doesn’t just combat the tech shortage with their Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP); they’re also changing the lives of active-duty service members by giving them a smooth transition not only to the collision repair industry but also to civilian life.

Andrew Vaccaro, director of apprenticeships at Caliber Collision, discusses Caliber’s work in their Changing Lanes initiative.

Focus Advisors is a mergers and acquisitions firm specializing in the collision repair market and helping MSO owners achieve maximum value through a strategic exit. President Chris Lane and Senior Associate Madeleine Roberts Rich join the CollisionCast to discuss how collision repair business owners can help prepare for a sale.