Whether you struck a parked car or your car was hit, you are not alone. Parking lot accident statistics show they are more common than most realize. About 1 in 5 accidents happen in parking lots.
While most parking lot accidents are minor and involve low-speed impact but they can still result in severe damage and injury. And parking lot accidents can also have a big impact on your car insurance rates, due to which many go unreported, and parking lot hit-and-runs are common.
If you’re involved in an accident, and it involves a parked car, there are some things you’ll want to do. First, relax. You are not alone, this happens to almost everyone.
We have included steps you can follow if you hit a parked car.
Stay calm
Firstly if you are involved in an accident, stay calm and breathe. Make sure you and no one in your car is injured. If you or someone is hurt, call 911 immediately. If you are stopping ongoing traffic, move your car to a safe place. Your health and safety are the number one priority.
Don’t hit and run
You should not leave the scene of an accident if you are involved in an accident; it is against the law and can be considered a hit-and-run case. Getting into an accident is not a crime but leaving the accident is where crime comes in. An auto accident can leave anyone feeling disoriented, shaken up, and scared. In the moments immediately after an accident, some people panic. Their sense of self-preservation takes over, and they leave the scene without considering the consequences.
If you fail to remain at the scene of an accident, you could face harsh penalties under Ontario law.
If the police have to hunt you down, you’ll pay fines, and the other driver’s insurance company might go after you for costs, including legal and investigative fees.
People who run from the scene of an accident can be charged in two ways, depending on the facts involved. Under the Criminal Code of Canada, “Fail to stop at the scene of an accident” is a federal offence. And individuals charge with an offence under Ontario’s hit-and-run law face up to six months in prison, the possible loss of their driver’s licence, and a fine ranging from $600 to $2000. And if you fail to remain at the scene, you may also see a hike in your auto insurance rates.
Leave a note
After hitting a parked car, you’re anticipated to look for the owner of the car and notify them. This effort is quite difficult, due to which for the minimal requirement you are obligated by law to leave a note with your information. Your note should include this information:
- Name
- Address
- Contact number
- Explanation of accident
If you are driving someone else’s car at the time of the accident, make sure to leave the name and address of the car’s owner and give all the details of the accident to the owner.
In the “Explanation of accident” section of your note, do not give so much, for example explaining how you were not paying attention when you hit their vehicle. Whatever you wrote in the note can be used against you later.
Take Picture and Protect Yourself.
There is one thing you should be concerned about in this type of situation, sometimes the driver of a parked vehicle tries to attempt to claim the damage to their vehicle, which was not done by you. Here are our tips to handle the situation so you can able to avoid becoming a victim of this fraud.
- Take pictures of the collision and make sure the photos you take are clear. Be sure to get the photo showing both vehicles’ positioning and pre-existing damage on the other car.
- Find any witnesses who can give you their contact information and could save you from being deemed at fault for damage you did not cause.
- Talk to your insurance as soon as possible about the accident. Your insurance company can be a good backup so you not to let you get tricked by other drivers.
Pay for the damage
With the help of insurance, you will be able to avoid becoming the victim of insurance fraud, and on top of that, they’ll work with you to help pay for the damage. A parking lot accident is not different from any other collision; if you are found at fault, and you use your insurance to cover the damage, then you can expect your rates to go up.
If you find yourself in any vehicle collision and need any help regarding vehicle towing or repairing service, then you can call us at (416) 566-9191. We will pay your deductibles as well.
