What happens when someone damages your parked car?

Driving

3 min read

You probably don't think twice when it comes to parking your car while you go to work or pop to the shops, but what happens if you come back to find that someone has hit your parked car?

Why might someone hit your parked car?

There are several reasons why someone might hit your parked car, including:

Driver error, such as over- or under-steering in tight car parks or blindly backing out of spaces

Distractions, like eating, drinking, using a phone or talking to other passengers

Bad weather or poor visibility

Reckless driving, like speeding or driving under the influence

Mechanical failures

Acts of vandalism where the damage is intentional

In fact, these type of car crashes are more common than you think. Shopping centres and supermarket car parks are the most likely places where your car can pick up scratches or damage.

What you should do if someone hits your parked car

If someone has hit your parked car, there are several things you should do:

Talk to the person involved

If someone has bumped into your vehicle and left the scene, by law they should have left a note including their name, address, contact number and explanation.

Leaving the scene is a crime and if the third party doesn’t leave a note and is then caught, they could face criminal charges.

If you have no details to refer to, look for witnesses or refer to nearby CCTV. The likelihood is, if a car is hit in a busy car park, someone will have witnessed it.

Ask around to see if anyone saw a car, a license plate or if the CCTV cameras picked up on any footage.

Take photos of your car’s damage

Take clear, high-definition photos of your car’s damage before you get it fixed. If you’re using a smartphone, you will be able to log the time, date and location as well.

You should also take photos of the surrounding areas and any identifying features, including street signs, buildings, or security cameras.

These photos will come in useful when it comes to claiming insurance.

Call the police if necessary

Whether or not you need to contact the police depends on the circumstances of the accident.

If the other driver is present and cooperative, or there are no injuries of roadblocks, you’re not obligated to call the police unless you think it’s a good idea to file an incident report.

However, if the other driver has left the scene without leaving their details, you suspect that they were uninsured, driving under the influence or that the damage was deliberate, or the car is blocking a road or pathway, you are legally required to report the incident to police.

Explore your car insurance options

If you’ve got in touch with the other driver, either at the scene or a later date, discuss the insurance options with them. Remember, if your car was parked legally, the other driver is at fault regardless of the circumstances.

On the other hand, if you haven’t been able to get a hold of the third party you may have to claim against your own insurance or fund the repairs yourself.

Bear in mind that even if you opt to pay for the repair yourself, you are obligated to contact your insurance provider to make them aware of any damage.