You probably are already familiar with the rules of the road surrounding car crashes when two drivers are involved. When it comes to accidents that only involve one driver, however, things may not be quite as clear. For instance, what do you do if you run into a parked car when driving?
#1 – Stay At The Scene Of The Accident
When something bad like this occurs, your first reaction might be to drive away from the accident. No matter how tempting it is, you should never do that. According to insurance.com, close to 70% of the hit-and-run accidents that occur happen in parking lots. No matter what, you should stay at the scene of the accident. Most parking lots have security cameras, which means that the accident was probably captured on film.
Regardless of how minor the damage seems, you still need to act responsibly and follow the law. The repercussions for hit-and-run accidents can be severe, resulting in the loss of your license, hefty fines, and possibly even criminal charges. Paying a little bit of money for cosmetic repairs is far better than dealing with all of these other issues.
#2 – Find The Person Who Owns The Other Vehicle
The next thing that you should do is try to find the person who owns the other car. Even if it is a minor accident, you should still make an effort to find the owner. If you can’t find them right away, you don’t have to sit around for hours until they return to their vehicle. Instead, you can leave a detailed note. In the note, include the following information:
– A description of what happened
– Your full name
– Your contact information, including your home address and your phone number
– Your insurance information
#3 – Gather Evidence
To protect yourself, it is important to gather as much evidence about the accident as you can. If anyone witnessed the accident, try to get them to give you a signed statement. Make sure you get their contact details, as well. Take photos of your car and the other car, making note of the specific damage that was caused by the collision.
#4 – Contact Your Insurer
The final step is to reach out to your insurance company to let them know about the accident. Even if you don’t want to, it is important to make sure that they are in the loop so that you can get your car repaired as quickly as possible.
When seeking out an auto body shop to fix a vehicle after a hit, call your local Leahy’s Auto to get your car looking like new.
