fender-bender

fender bender

A small car accident in which minimal damage is incurred. Michelle was a new driver so she was extremely upset when she had her first accident. Luckily, it was a fender bender and there was no real damage to either car involved.
See also: bender, fender
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fender-bender

1. n. a minor accident. (see also rear-ender.) There are a couple of fender-benders on the expressway this morning, so be careful.
2. n. a reckless driver (who causes minor accidents). I can’t get insurance on my seventeen-year-old, who is a hopeless fender-bender.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • bender
  • fender
  • fender bender
  • by accident or design
  • design
  • (whether) by accident or design
  • accident
  • whether
  • by accident
  • waiting
References in periodicals archive
There were no breaks, no fender-bender," a local bartender, who works in an establishment at the intersection where the alleged incident happened, says, quoted by the Bulgaria "Trud" (Labor) daily.
NSO Deny Bulgarian PM's Involvement in Fender-Bender
"Students are shocked by the noise and astounded by the power that's unleashed in even a minor fender-bender if an airbag deploys," says Principal Steve Holland.
Airbag demonstration makes teen drivers think twice about safety
The HVTMC has been equipped with features that can coordinate the response of incidents from a simple fender-bender to a major weather event, such as a hurricane.
Street smarts: a new intelligent transportation system in New York State is taking driving to a new level
"Gone are the days when men piled out of their cars after a fender-bender to argue over who caused the accident and what the damages were worth," writes Ostrovsky.
Russia mandates liability insurance
4 (5) Changing Lanes (15) Ben Affleck and Samuel L Jackson become daggers drawn after fender-bender.
Reviews: Box office Top 10
The hardened cops chat about the killing as casually as if discussing a fender-bender accident.
IRISH COP'S BRONX BLOODBATH HORROR; Documentary shows violent life of ghetto
Cook plowed into a car that hit Russell, who was discussing a fender-bender with officers and another driver.
Drunken driver gets manslaughter, not murder
It began as a fender-bender between Arthur Beitchman and the son of Henry Malinowski, an auto dealer.
Ex-editor pleads no contest in impersonation case
SPRINGFIELD - Two women got in a fender-bender last year, and neither had insurance.
Store checker accused of stealing to repay car crash debt
Fortunately for the pair, the fender-bender was only minor, and the two are now reportedly recovering.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Girlfriend Nina Agdal Recovering After Car Accident
All too often, traffic comes to a grinding halt because of a simple fender-bender that needlessly impedes progress, far exceeding the minor nature of the vehicular bump.
Greater proactivity can minimise effects of accidents
He also said, "Sometimes there are no rules and the manner motor-vehicles are seen in a maddening melee to get where they're going, as if no regulations were in place to make the process run smoother." While impatient drivers show little hesitation in risking a fender-bender, crossing the street is a daunting endeavour for the residents on foot.
Businesses in Muscat bear the brunt of Darsait-Wadi Kabir road construction work
"There's no such thing as a fender-bender when riding a motorcycle.
Motorcycle riders still lose life, limb despite helmets; poll shows why
The case stems from a videotaped fender-bender in a parking lot in August.
Britney's custody battle lawyers quit