Is Car Shipping Safe?
Yes, car shipping is safe -- damage occurs on fewer than 1 in 100 professional shipments, and over 1.2 million vehicles are transported by licensed carriers in the US every year. Professional car shipping is very safe. Damage occurs on fewer than 1 in 100 shipments. Over 1.2 million vehicles are transported by professional carriers in the US every year, including brand-new cars shipped from factories to dealerships. Bold Auto Transport includes full coverage insurance with a $0 deductible on every shipment as an extra layer of protection.
How Safe Is Car Shipping? The Numbers
If you are considering shipping a vehicle and wondering about the risk, the data tells a clear story. Auto transport is one of the safest ways to move a car long distance — far safer than putting thousands of highway miles on it yourself.
New cars from every major manufacturer — Toyota, Ford, BMW, Tesla, Mercedes — travel on open carriers from the factory to the dealer lot. That is how confident the auto industry is in the safety of vehicle transport. The car sitting in your local dealership showroom was almost certainly shipped on the same type of carrier that would move your vehicle.
When damage does occur, it is almost always cosmetic. Road dust, light grime from highway spray, the occasional small rock chip. These are minor surface issues, not structural problems. Serious damage — significant dents, broken glass, paint gouges — is extremely rare when you use a licensed, insured carrier.
Think about the alternative: driving a car 2,000 miles yourself means 2,000 miles of wear on the engine, tires, and brakes, plus the risk of highway accidents, rock chips, and weather damage. Shipping avoids all of that. Your vehicle arrives with the same mileage it had when it left.
How Carriers Keep Your Vehicle Safe
Professional auto transport is not some guy with a flatbed and a couple of ratchet straps. The industry is heavily regulated, and modern carriers use specialized equipment designed to move vehicles without causing damage. Here is what goes into protecting your car during transit:
Vehicles are secured by straps that wrap around each tire — not chains or hooks that contact the car body. These soft-loop tie-downs hold the vehicle firmly without touching the paint, rims, or undercarriage. Each vehicle gets its own set of straps rated for several thousand pounds of holding force.
Loading and unloading uses hydraulic tilt systems and adjustable ramps. This avoids steep angles that could scrape low-clearance vehicles. The ramps adjust to match each vehicle's ground clearance, and the hydraulic system raises and lowers vehicles smoothly between carrier levels.
Carrier drivers hold Commercial Driver's Licenses and specialize in vehicle transport. They are trained in proper tie-down procedures, weight distribution, and safe loading sequences. Most have years of experience moving vehicles and know how to handle everything from sedans to lifted trucks.
Licensed carriers are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. They must maintain active USDOT numbers, carry mandatory insurance, pass safety audits, and meet maintenance standards. This federal oversight weeds out bad operators and holds carriers accountable for the condition of vehicles in their care.
Every vehicle is inspected at pickup and delivery with a detailed Bill of Lading (BOL). The driver and the customer walk around the car together, documenting every existing scratch, dent, and mark. This creates a clear record of the vehicle's condition before and after transport, so there is never a question about what happened during transit.
Open vs Enclosed: Which Is Safer?
This is one of the most common questions people ask. The short answer: both are safe. The right choice depends on your vehicle and your comfort level.
Open Transport
- Used for 90%+ of all vehicle shipments
- How manufacturers ship new cars to dealerships
- Vehicle is exposed to weather and road spray — same as driving it
- Actual damage from open transport is extremely rare
- Most cost-effective option for standard vehicles
- Faster pickup times due to more carriers available
Best for: everyday vehicles, newer cars, trucks, SUVs. Learn more about open transport
Enclosed Transport
- Vehicle is fully enclosed — no weather, debris, or UV exposure
- Smaller trailers carry fewer vehicles (typically 2-6)
- Soft-tie loading eliminates any surface contact risk
- Provides maximum protection and privacy
- Costs 40-60% more than open transport
- Longer wait times due to fewer carriers
Best for: $50K+ vehicles, classics, exotics, show cars. Learn more about enclosed transport
The bottom line: If you are shipping a Honda Accord, Camry, or F-150, open transport is perfectly safe and the smart financial choice. The risk of meaningful damage is negligible. For a Porsche 911, a restored classic, or anything you would not want exposed to rain on a highway, enclosed gives you total peace of mind.
Not sure which to pick? Read our full open vs enclosed comparison or call us at (469) 942-5444 and we will help you decide.
What Could Go Wrong (and What Protects You)
Being realistic about the risks — even small ones — is more useful than pretending nothing ever goes wrong. Here is what can happen during auto transport, and the protections that exist for each scenario:
Possible Issues During Transport
Small rock chips or sand pitting from highway driving. This is the most common type of cosmetic issue and happens the same way it would if you drove the car yourself. Usually limited to the front bumper area.
On open carriers, vehicles collect highway dust and road spray during transit. This is not damage — it washes off completely. Your car will need a wash after delivery, but the paint underneath is untouched.
Rain, snow, or sun during a multi-day cross-country haul. Your car's factory paint and seals are designed to handle weather. This is only a concern for vehicles with damaged seals, convertible tops with known leaks, or rare cars with delicate finishes.
In very rare cases, a vehicle can experience scratching during loading/unloading if the ramp angle is steep. Low-clearance sports cars and modified vehicles with lowered suspensions are most at risk. This is why telling your broker about modifications matters.
What Protects You
Every licensed carrier must carry a minimum of $750,000 in cargo liability insurance. This is federal law. The carrier's insurance pays for damage they cause to your vehicle during transport.
On top of the carrier's insurance, every Bold shipment includes supplemental coverage with zero out-of-pocket cost to you. No deductible means every dollar of covered damage is paid by insurance, even small claims that would fall below a typical $500 deductible. Read our full car shipping insurance guide for details.
The BOL creates a legal record of your vehicle's condition at pickup and delivery. If new damage appears, the BOL proves exactly when it happened and who is responsible. This document is your strongest tool in any claim.
Taking photos at pickup and delivery creates visual evidence that supplements the BOL. Timestamped photos from your phone are difficult to dispute and make the claim process straightforward.
How to Protect Yourself When Shipping a Car
You do not need to leave anything to chance. These six steps put you in control of the process and protect you if anything goes sideways:
Check the FMCSA database at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov to verify any company has an active USDOT number and MC number. If they cannot provide these numbers, walk away. Learn more about how to spot car shipping scams.
Ask for the Certificate of Insurance. Confirm the carrier's cargo insurance is active and ask about the deductible. If a company is vague about insurance details, that is a red flag. See our insurance guide for what to look for.
Walk around your vehicle and photograph every angle — all four corners, the roof, each wheel, mirrors, glass, and close-ups of any existing damage. Timestamped phone photos work perfectly. This takes 10 minutes and could save you thousands. Check our full prep checklist.
Walk around the vehicle with the driver. Make sure every existing scratch, dent, and mark is written on the BOL. If something is missed, point it out before signing. This document is your legal baseline.
Compare the vehicle's condition against the pickup BOL. Look at every panel, the roof, wheels, glass, and mirrors. If there is new damage, note it on the delivery BOL before you sign. Take photos of the damage immediately. Do not rush this step.
If you find damage at delivery, contact your coordinator the same day. Most insurance policies have strict reporting windows, and waiting even a few days can hurt your claim. With Bold, your coordinator handles the entire claim process for you.
Red Flags: Signs of an Unsafe Shipping Company
Not every company in the auto transport industry operates honestly. Knowing the warning signs before you hand over your vehicle — and your money — can save you from a bad experience. Watch for these red flags:
This is the single biggest red flag. Every legal broker and carrier in the US must be registered with the FMCSA and have active operating authority. If a company cannot produce a USDOT number, they are either unlicensed or operating illegally. Do not give them your vehicle.
If a company cannot or will not provide insurance documentation when asked, your vehicle is at risk. Legitimate companies have no problem sharing their Certificate of Insurance. Vague answers like "don't worry, you're covered" are not good enough.
Legitimate brokers charge a small deposit at booking, with the balance due at delivery. If a company demands the full amount before a carrier is even assigned, your money is at risk. This is one of the most common scam tactics in the industry.
If one company quotes you $400 when everyone else is quoting $800-$1,000, it is a bait-and-switch. They will win your business with the low number, then call you a few days later saying the price went up. Or they will demand more money after your car is already on the truck. Use our cost calculator to see a realistic price range.
A real company has a real address. Search for it on Google Maps. If the address is a vacant lot, a random residential house, or does not exist, that tells you everything you need to know.
Check the Better Business Bureau. An F rating or a pattern of unresolved complaints is a clear sign of a company that does not take care of its customers. Also check Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and Transport Reviews for a broader picture.
For a deeper look at the specific tactics bad actors use — and step-by-step instructions for verifying any company — read our complete guide to car shipping scams and how to avoid them.
Bold Auto Transport's Safety Record
We are not going to ask you to just take our word for it. Here are the facts you can verify yourself:
Based on 500+ verified customer reviews across Google, Trustpilot, and BBB
Accredited with the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating — the highest possible
USDOT #3775668 | MC-1349681. Verify directly at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov
Supplemental full coverage included free on every shipment — open or enclosed
Every shipment is assigned a personal coordinator who monitors it from booking to delivery
The price we quote is the price you pay. No hidden fees, no surprise surcharges, no bait-and-switch
See how we compare to the rest of the industry in our best car shipping companies comparison.
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