The Disability Guys, a workers’ compensation law firm that serves Red Hook in Brooklyn, has provided this article about the history of the car, the first car accident, and auto body shops in Red Hook.

Karl Benz: The Inventor Of The Modern Car

A German man, Karl Benz, is credited with building the first modern car. Benz designed and built a three-wheeled vehicle that he named the “Motorwagen” in 1885. Over the next decade, Benz sold at least 25 three and four-wheeled versions of the Motorwagen. He wasn’t the only inventor working on a gasoline-powered personal vehicle. Others in Germany, France, and the United States were also working on their version of the car.

Not all inventors were successful, however. In fact, some found their inventions destroyed due to accidents.

James William Lambert And The First Car Crash

Red Hook Brooklyn NY near workers' comp legal office. James William Lambert is listed as the first person to crash their car. Lambert had built a three-wheeled model that turned out to be very unstable. While driving with a friend the car hit a tree root and spun out of control, coming to rest when it hit a hitching post. Lambert and his passenger weren’t hurt in the crash.

A few years later, Lambert took the four-wheeled vehicle he built for a drive and it caught fire.

At first, car owners had no easy way to repair damage to their cars. Today, auto body shops are everywhere, providing many options for service.

Auto Body Shops In And Near Red Hook

1811 Auto Repair & Body Shop
278 Van Brunt St,
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 855-7700

South Brooklyn Auto Body
2 Ferris St,
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 858-7194

Certified Auto Repair Center and Collision Body Shop
100 Huntington St,
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 395-1111

Fix It Perfect NYC
204 Hamilton Ave,
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(800) 969-0256

If you’ve been injured in an auto body accident while working you may want to consult a Red Hook workers’ compensation attorney. For additional information that may be beneficial for auto accident victims, read our post on the history of Red Hook, Brooklyn.