Hitting a parked car can be scary. There are several steps you must take after hitting a parked car to comply with the law. If the driver or owner is with their car, exchange the same information you would have shared after a moving accident. If you hit a parked car that is not occupied and the owner does not return in a reasonable time, leave a note.
If the damage is severe, the laws in your state may require you to file a car accident report. Failing to do so could constitute a criminal act. You should also contact your insurance provider. A lawyer in your area can explain the consequences you might face and protect you from exorbitant damage claims.
Remain Calm and Allow Cooler Heads to Prevail
Avoid getting over-excited, which can cause you to further lose control of your car or make you say more than you should. Take a few deep breaths. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), you should then move your car out of the flow of traffic. If you were hurt in the collision, call 911 and request emergency medical help.
If the parked car was occupied when you hit it and the occupant was injured, secure emergency medical care for them, as well.
Stay Put and Wait for the Owner
Fleeing the scene of a car accident can land you in dangerous legal water. If you hit a parked car, be prepared to wait a reasonable length of time for the driver or owner to show up.
Do not argue with them when they return. Instead, simply explain what happened and give them your name and the name of your insurance company. They may share this information with their own insurance company or with a local personal injury lawyer later.
Leave a Note if the Car is Unattended
If you waited a reasonable time period and the driver or owner had not shown up, you may have to leave. If you are in a commercial area, they may be inside a business establishment. Consider asking inside one or two locations. If you leave, include the following information in a clear and legible note:
- Your name
- Contact information
- Insurance provider
- A brief explanation of what occurred
From that point, you can leave without the risk of breaking the law. You should still contact your own insurer and local police.
For a free legal consultation, call 404-214-2001
Collect Information That Could Protect You Later
Whether you have to leave or not, what you do if you hit a parked car should include taking steps to protect your interest. Sadly, your absence might lead to an over-exaggeration of the resulting damage.
You should also consider what you would want someone who hit your car to do. Be fair yet cautious and take appropriate action.
Take Photos of Both Cars
To ensure damage you did not cause is not attributed to you, take photos of both involved cars. Using your smartphone or another mobile device—even a simple point-and-click camera kept in your glove compartment for emergencies—try to take:
- Photos of both cars from a variety of angles
- Close-up photos of the damage you caused
- Photos of the other car’s license plate
- Photos of the area surrounding the accident
If the parked-car accident turns into a legal matter, your lawyer can use this last set of photos. They could help identify storefronts and poles that might have security or surveillance photos of video footage.
Back up, download, upload, print, or otherwise store the photos of the accident on another device. This can be important if your phone is lost, stolen, or destroyed.
Collect or Photograph Any Large Pieces of Evidence
If the collision caused the other car to lose a side mirror, bumper, fender, or another part, at the very least, take pictures. They ensure the damage is accurately documented and may be helpful if you are required to cover the costs of the vehicle’s repairs.
Witness Statements
Depending on the location of the car you hit, you could have witnesses who can support your version of events. Accident witnesses can support your version of the events that led to the accident and its aftermath.
If necessary, they can attest to:
- How hard the impact was to the other car
- The fact that they saw you wait for the driver to return
- The fact that they saw you leave a note
Do not discuss the accident or admit anything to any witnesses. Simply record their contact information. If you call the police or first responders to the accident scene, insist on filing a car accident report.
You Could Be Financially Liable for Damage to the Car You Struck
Since the car you struck was immobile at the time, negligence for causing the accident could be assigned to you. Commonly reported causes of parked-car accidents include:
- Backing into a parked car
- Distracted driving
- Failure to see the parked car
- Speeding or reckless driving
The other driver may hire a personal injury lawyer to help them file an insurance claim or lawsuit against you. If that happens, you could be responsible for repairing their car or for replacing it altogether if the damage is extensive enough. Their insurance or legal representative will investigate to uncover the accident’s cause.
An Accident May Cause a Rise in Your Insurance Rates
No one wants to pay higher insurance rates. Yours may rise in the aftermath of the accident. This increased cost cannot compare to the legal and financial risks of fleeing the accident scene without accepting responsibility for an accident.
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Call Now for Your Free Car Accident Consultation
If you hit a parked car and need legal advice, our law firm can help. We will clarify what to do if you hit a parked car. We can also explain the process of recovering damages if someone hit your parked car.
Contact one of our team members today and learn more about how hard our Kaine Law team works to explain your rights and responsibilities.
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