Miscellaneous

Collision Repair Code of Ethics

By E L Eversman

While attending some outstanding presentations on the first day of the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence (CCRE) fall seminar in October of 2006, I realized that one of the significant impediments the collision repair industry faced in business was that it had no uniform principles governing ethical conduct. I was extremely troubled by that fact given that we all put our lives in the hands of collision repairers on a consistent basis. Even if the vehicle you are driving has never been involved in an accident, what do you know about the condition or safety of the vehicle on the road in front of you, in the opposite lane, or carpooling your kids to soccer practice? As I have often said, if attorneys or accountants act unethically, the typical result is that someone loses money. But if doctors or collision repairers act unethically, people can die.

With that thought in mind, I set about creating the first-ever Collision Repair Code of Ethics. It is designed as a framework for collision repairers nationwide to adopt governing principles for ethical behaviors of those involved in the industry and to establish a mechanism of self-governance to ensure those ethical mandates are met. I offer it as a set of principles that can be molded and adapted to meet the requirements of each state?s laws, and to assist industry members to address conflicts and pressures they experience from outside interests.

I have little doubt that the Collision Repair Code of Ethics will spark significant discussion within the collision repair industry. To assist in that discussion, there is a conference organized by ACAR scheduled October 19^th, 2007 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Information about how to participate at this historic meeting is available here. ACAR Conference Information

Thank you to all of the people who provided information for the development and refining of the Collision Repair Code of Ethics ? particularly Wade Ebert of American Autobody in Springfield, Illinois, whose insight is always meaningful.

Full post as published by AutoMuse on October 11, 2007 (boomark / email).