Auto Shops See Business Spike After Storm

DENVER (CBS4) - Although most of the snow and ice has melted from the winter storm at the end of last week, the effects of it are being felt by many local body shops.

Now that New Year's weekend is over, cars involved in wrecks are starting to be towed in. Autoworks International says it usually sees a 30 percent increase in business after winter storms hit. That's how much business is up right now.

Most of the cars coming in are those involved in more minor accidents, but the shop has received some totaled cars as well.

"A lot of curb hits, a lot of suspension damage; that type of stuff -- people sliding in. Lot of airbags deployed, people jump curbs and the way airbags deploy, the way they are set up nowadays, they will deploy on an easy curb hit." Jerry Cathcart with Autoworks International said.

The shop owners recommend carrying full coverage on a car rather than just liability because hit-and-runs are on the rise.