We all know that there is nothing worse than going to where you park your car only to find it in a very bad condition rather than finding it the way you left it. Yes, it’s so so heartbreaking but do not panic. Such accidents are very common and not so hard to deal with. Well, in this article we will be showing you what to do if your parked car was hit by another car and also what to do if you mistakenly hit a parked car. Here is what you should do:
Your Parked car was Hit by Someone? Here’s what you should do:
Get information from the other driver
Not all hit cars scene is being witnessed by the owner of the car, but you as a driver witness any, the next step to take is collecting information from the other driver. Information such as Full name, Address, Phone number, Detailed explanation of how the accident occurred and Insurance company.
Note that in some cases, you wouldn’t see the person that hit your car. Probably, the person must have waited for you and didn’t see you. But as a good and reasonable citizen, the person is expected to leave a note containing all the information about him or her. Once you see the note, contact the person.
Look for witnesses
As soon as you have gathered the driver’s information or if the driver left without leaving any information, do not panic. The next thing to do is look around the scene and find witnesses, then get their names and contact information. You could as well obtain coverage of the accident from a nearby camera if there is any.
Contact the nearest police
After you must have gathered all the necessary information, contact the police and report the accident. In some states, not all, it is required of you to contact the police if your vehicle was hit. The police are the ones to take reports and gather information from you and the witnesses if there are any. Plus, they are also to check if there are any security cameras in that area.
Document the accidents
Documenting the accident means gathering information about the accident that serves as a piece of evidence. It is very important you document the accident because that will serve as evidence or proof that you are not telling lies. And they include: taking photos of the damaged car as well as taking photos of any other damaged properties or vehicles at the scene. If the vehicle of the person who hit your car is present there at the scene, document it also and take a photo of its plate number.
Contact your insurance company
After you must have been through with or followed the above steps, what you should do next is to contact the insurance company. The insurance company of the other driver who hit your car is sure to pay for all damages. But if they do not make any changes to the damaged car, contact your insurance company in order for them to start the claim process. In most cases, the driver wouldn’t leave any information about him/herself and if possible, there are no witnesses or security cameras, then it’s obvious that you are the one to pay for the damages. Well, it’s not your fault, so the odds of your rates going high are less.
If you Mistakenly Hit a Car, What you should do is:
On the other hand, if you mistakenly hit a car, what you should do is:
- Remain there and do not leave that scene because it is against the law.
- If you have waited for so long and the owner of the hit car doesn’t arrive, kindly leave a note behind. In the note, include your full name, address, phone number and a detailed explanation of the accident.
- The next thing you should do is to take photos of the damaged cars and plate number.
- Now, look for witnesses and get their contact information. You could as well write down or video their description of how the accident all happened.
- After you must have done that, contact your insurance company. Then report the incident to them as soon as possible in order for them to begin the claim process.
