Accidents happen. No matter how careful we are, some things are outside our control. Even the best drivers have had the unfortunate experience of accidentally hitting a parked car. When you hit a parked car, it’s easy to panic and feel terrible about yourself. But it’s also one of the most common accidents and is usually solved quite easily if you don’t let your brain overthink. Here’s a quick checklist of what you need to do when you accidentally hit a parked car so you can resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

What to do after you accidentally hit a parked car

Stop

If you hit a parked car, stop right away. Don’t flee the scene or try to move your vehicle. Fleeing the scene of the accident will only make your situation worse. Driving your car can also cause additional damage to both your cars, so as soon as you feel the impact, stop.

Relax

So you accidentally hit a parked car. You might be panicking at this point, and that’s normal. You should first gather yourself and relax. Panicking will not help you think straight.

Assess the situation

Accidentally hitting a parked car can result in a simple dent, or it can result in somebody needing emergency help. Assess the situation and take the necessary steps to address the current problem adequately. If somebody needs help, call 911 right away.

Take responsibility

At this point, the worst is over. It would be best if you took responsibility for the accident right away. Report the accident even if there is little or no damage. Some states will legally require you to report the accident and leave your information.

If the other car’s driver is not present, leave your name, phone number, driver’s license number, and license plate number in a note so the driver can contact you if they have any issues.

De-escalate the situation

There are situations where the parked car driver is present, and they are not happy with the accident. Assuming you have already taken responsibility for the accident, called the police, and provided the other driver with the necessary information, you need to de-escalate the situation.

There are multiple ways to do this, but the simplest way is to apologize and not join in on the other person’s frustrations. Hopefully, this will temper the anger and surprise of the other driver so things don’t escalate.

Take pictures

To lessen the chances of becoming a victim of fraud, take as many pictures or videos as possible. Make sure you include shots of the damage to the other car, their license plate, and other angles of the accident.

It’s also wise to take pictures of your vehicle as you may need them if you want to use your insurance to repair your car. If you left a note, take a video or picture of it placed on the vehicle. This will be visual evidence proving you followed the law.

Call your insurance company

Your insurance company should be notified of any accident your car is a part of. Even if you can’t locate the owner of the parked vehicle or if you left a note, you should still inform your insurance company of the accident. This ensures that you and your insurance company are protected and will have all the information needed.

Have Your Car Checked At T3 Atlanta

When you are part of an accident, it’s safe to assume that your car has suffered some form of damage. What could seem like a small dent on the outside may hide a more significant problem underneath. If you hit a parked car, you may want to have your car checked and fixed as soon as possible. If you are anywhere near Metro Atlanta, the experts at T3 Atlanta are ready to help you out.

T3 Atlanta has over 20 years of experience servicing Infiniti, Lexus, Toyota, and Nissan vehicles. Give T3 Atlanta a call today, and let us take good care of your car.