Losses and Lessons: Jack does not play well with Impala

VEHICLE INVOLVED: 1962 Chevrolet Impala

WHAT WENT WRONG: Sometimes accidents that cause little damage teach us the biggest lessons. Take this jacked-up car story, for instance. The owner of a 1962 Chevrolet Impala was out for a drive when he heard a noise from under the car. He pulled into a parking lot and decided to take a quick peek at the suspension. Using the bumper jack from the trunk, he raised the front end of the Impala, but before he could poke his head under the car it rolled backwards off the jack.

DAMAGE/LOSS: The jack flipped up and left a noticeable scar in the bumper’s mirror-finish chrome. That was the extent of the damage to the car, and fortunately its owner wasn’t injured.

LESSON: Never take shortcuts when your safety is at risk. In this case, the consequences could have been huge, especially if the jack had held just a few seconds longer and the Impala had rolled back with its owner beneath it. Two simple rules that will help keep you and your car safe from harm: always apply the parking brake before jacking up your car, and block the wheel diagonally opposite of the wheel closest to the jack.