Here's a good news-bad news story that will rattle your bank account.

With the high cost of gasoline, small cars are back in fashion because they generally get good gas mileage. Just don't get that small car into a small-traffic crash.

Watch your checkbook, because these repair costs result from "fender bender" crash tests at either 3 or 6 mph.

Small-car bumpers are not functional as much as they are aesthetic. They are pretty but do very little to absorb even a low-speed shock.

It's also bad news for the vehicle owners on two fronts:

First, notice the cost of repair for the Elantra, Prius and Rabbit. Insurance costs are likely to rise for the collision component of these vehicles unless automakers make changes.

Second, many of us who purchase auto insurance are raising our deductibles in order to save on the overall cost of the policy year to year. If my deductible is $1,000 or $2,000, I get a significant break on the policy cost, but a low-speed crash with just one component of the four listed will leave me out of luck if the crash is my fault or I don't carry uninsured motorist coverage.

A friend recently had such an accident in a parking lot. A driver backed into his parked small car. Why? The man was talking on his phone.

DAVID COLMANS IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GEORGIA INSURANCE INFORMATION SERVICE. CONTACT HIM AT (770) 565-3806 OR BY E-MAIL AT DCOLMANS@GIIS.ORG.