What To Do If You’ve Hit a Parked Car?
Hit a Parked Car?
Parking can be stressful – particularly when space is tight, the roads are wet or icy, or the parking lot or road is busy with many distractions. Even the most well-meaning drivers
might find they bump or scrape a neighboring vehicle while attempting to park, or hit a parked car while moving.
If you find yourself in this situation, keep calm. Hitting a parked car is a common accident and can be resolved simply. The most important thing to do is to take responsibility. Hitting a parked car is not a crime, but leaving the scene of the accident is, and there’s a strong likelihood the moment is caught on surveillance camera or a witness saw it happen.
Here’s our step by step guide on what to do if you have the misfortune of hitting a parked car:
- Stay calm.
- Remain at the scene – it is against the law to leave the scene of an accident.
- If you wait and the vehicle owner doesn’t appear, leave a note including your name, address, contact information, a brief explanation of the accident, and insurance info. Place it securely under the windshield wiper.
- Use photos to record the license plate of the other car and the extent of any damage to both cars.
- Do you see any witnesses? Ask for their contact information, ask for their explanation of what happened and record it on video or write it down.
- Call the police and explain what happened, it may be necessary for them to come to the scene.
- Get in touch with roadside assistance and your insurance provider. The extent of the damage and your number of previous claims may impact whether your insurance rates increase due to this accident.
Follow the instructions above and you’ll be on the path to resolving the issue efficiently.
What Should You Do if Your Parked Car is Hit?
Coming back to your parked car to find a dent, scrape, bump or hit can be disheartening. Follow these simple steps to resolve the issue efficiently:
- If the driver waited for you to arrive, they’ve done the right thing. Calmly ask for their name, address, contact number, a description of what happened, and insurance details.
- If they’re not around, check the windshield for a note with contact details.
- Whether or not the other driver is at the scene, look around for potential witnesses and ask if they saw what happened. Write down their account of what happened or ask them to let you record their account of the accident.
- Take photos of the damage to both cars if the other driver stayed. Take photos of your own car if the driver is no longer around. You’ll also want to take a photo of the other car’s license plate.
- Call the police to get a police report of the incident.
- If you have the details of the person that hit your car, call their insurance provider. If you do not have their details, call your insurance provider. Be prompt about reporting the incident to the insurer – it’s unlikely they’ll cover the damage if weeks go by while you’re trying to settle the incident with the other driver outside of the insurance.
Whether your car was hit or you hit another car, it’s an incident that can be resolved through insurance, with minimal hassle, if you follow the simple steps above. Good luck!
Contact Us Today
If you have hit a parked car or your car was hit while parked and are in need of advice or assistance, call Insure on the Spot today for auto insurance Chicago.