Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) a minor automobile accident, thus v. fender-bend.

1962		D. Dempsey ‘Lang. of Traffic Policemen’ in AS XXXVII:4 268: Fender bender, n. A minor collision; injuries.
1975		Manchester Guardian Weekly 16 Nov. 20: An automobile accident is unpleasant anywhere, but it would be hard to top the hassle of a Moscow fender-bender.
1981		S. King Roadwork in Bachman Books (1995) 349: Ralph [...] got in a little fender-bender accident.
1990		J. Wambaugh Golden Orange (1991) 46: Tess got stuck in a traffic jam [...] caused by a two-car fender bender.
2000		S. Maloney Big Ask 282: The pile-up was impressive. A six-vehicle fender-bender.
2006		F.X. Toole Pound for Pound 86: We ain’t talkin fender-bender, right?
2010		J. Ellroy Hilliker Curse 6: The Main Loser and the Main Blonde got in a fender bender.
2015		S. King Finders Keepers (2016) 208: All he needs is one fender-bender.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 69: I fender-bended Ferraris [...] and didn’t give a fucking shit.

2. (drugs) in fig. use, a barbiturate capsule.

1971		Illinois Legislative Investigating Committee Drug Crisis in Spears (1986).
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 167: Many of these names call attention to the soporific effect barbiturates have on the central nervous system: [...] fender benders, stumble bumbles.