What to do if you hit a parked car
If you’ve hit a parked car, there’s a right and a wrong way to deal with it. Here’s what to do…
If you’ve hit a parked car, there’s a right and a wrong way to deal with it. Here’s what to do…
I hit a parked car. What should I do?
Don’t worry, you’re not the first person to bump a parked vehicle. But, as with any car accident, there’s a right and a wrong way to tackle the situation. Don’t break the law by driving off – follow these steps instead.
1. Stop
Don’t leave the scene, even if it’s only a minor scrape. Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act states that if you’re involved in an accident that causes injury to another person or damage to another vehicle, property or animal – you must stop or you’ll be committing an offence. Pull over and stop somewhere safe, turn off your car engine and, if needed, turn on your hazard lights.
2. Leave your details
You’ll need to provide your name and address, as well as your car registration number. If you’re not the car owner, be sure to leave the owner’s details.
If the driver of the parked car isn’t around and you can’t give them your details, dial 101 (the non-emergency police number) and report the incident instead.
3. Report the incident
According to the Road Traffic Act, you need to report an accident to the police within 24 hours. Don’t call 999, as they only deal with emergencies. Instead dial 101, the non-emergency police number.
You’ll need to give an accurate and honest account of what happened – the date, time and location of the incident, registration numbers and details of the damage. It will create an official record, which could also be helpful if insurance claims are made.
4. Take notes and photos
Write down details that might be useful for insurance purposes. Make a note of the time, date and location of the accident, as well as the weather conditions.
Take photos of the damage. Use different angles to make sure the damage is captured and that the scale of damage is clear.
Record any factors that might have played a part in the incident, for example, if the car was sticking out in the road or if it was dark as the streetlights weren’t working. Take photos that confirm this, too.
If you don’t have a camera phone, it may be worth sketching what happened. Get details like names and numbers of any witnesses who’ll be able to support your version of events.
5. Contact your insurance provider
Call your car insurance provider as soon as you can, even if you’re not planning to make a claim. Give them the details, along with any photos and the contact details of any witnesses.
If the damage is something very minor, such as a small scratch or a chipped wing mirror, you might choose not to make a claim – since doing so could increase next year’s insurance premium.
What our expert says...
‘Many insurance providers have a section in their policies that require you to tell them about all and any incidents, even if you don’t make a claim. This includes dents you cause or get when parked. If you fail to do this, your insurance could be declared invalid if you make a claim.'
- Rory Reid, Car and technology expert
Will my insurance go up if I hit a parked car?
Unfortunately, yes, it’s most likely your premium will go up, even if you don’t make a claim. This is because you’ll be seen as having a higher risk of having an accident and making a claim in the future.
Take a look at our tips on keeping your car insurance costs down and find out about how to protect your no-claims discount.
What happens if you hit a parked car and drive off?
If you don’t stop, you may well hear from the police. There could be CCTV or witnesses who can prove you were at the scene. Even if you prang a car on a deserted street at night, make sure you leave your details or report the incident.
Otherwise, you could be prosecuted for careless driving, failing to stop and failing to report an accident. That’s a hefty fine and you could get 5-10 points on your licence.
Penalty points could make it harder to get car insurance and potentially increase the cost, too.
What should I do if someone hits my parked car and drives away?
If somebody hits your parked car and drives away without leaving a note, you should call your insurance provider. Even if you don’t intend to make a claim, it’s important to update your provider about any damage to your car. If you don’t, you could end up invalidating your cover.
If you decide to make a claim, you’ll need to gather as much information as possible about the incident. Ask people nearby if they saw anything and take photos of the damage.
You could also check to see if there are any cameras around that might have captured footage of the prang – a local shop’s CCTV or even someone’s smart doorbell might be helpful in providing footage.
Remember to make a note of the time and date, and the location of your parked car, and call the non-emergency police number 101 within 24 hours to report the accident.
How do I get cheaper insurance after hitting a parked car?
As with all car insurance, there are a few steps you can take to see if you can find cheaper insurance:
- Shop around – by comparing prices and policies you’ll be able to see which offer better value.
- Pay annually if you can afford to – if you pay by monthly instalments, you may find that you have to pay extra to cover interest costs and additional administration.
- Opt for a higher excess – if you increase the amount you’ll pay towards a claim, you might be able to find a cheaper premium. But you must be sure you can afford the contribution if you do have an accident.
- Consider telematics insurance – where a so-called black box device monitors your driving, and allows your insurance provider to give you a personalised insurance quote based on your driving habits.
But don’t just base your decision on price. Make sure any policy you buy has the cover that you need.
Get more tips on cutting your car insurance costs.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if someone scratched my car?
If the damage was caused by another vehicle, see if you can find out who was driving from CCTV or witnesses, then report it to the police for failing to stop. Let your insurance company know and decide whether to make a claim.
If you suspect your car’s been deliberately vandalised, for example, it’s been keyed, you may want to file a police report using the 101 number. Again, you’ll need to contact your insurance company, if your policy requires you to do so or if you want to make a claim to get it repaired.
If you don’t tell your insurance provider about any accident, there’s a possibility that your insurance policy could be invalidated.
What to do if you scratch a parked car
Even if you just scratch a parked car, you should leave your contact details for the driver and let your own insurance company know. Make sure you take pictures of the scratch, if you can, to record the extent of the damage and details of any contributing factors, such as weather.
What to do if you hit a parked car but there’s no damage?
Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act says that you need to report the accident if you’ve caused damage to the car. This means that if there’s no damage and no potential cost to the car’s owner because of needing to get it repaired, then you don’t legally have to do anything.
However, somebody else might have seen the incident and reported it to the police or left a note with your registration number. It’s also important to point out that you may not be able to see any damage clearly if it’s dark or dimly lit. So, it makes sense to leave a note if you hit a parked car and can’t see any damage.
It’s definitely a good idea to take photos as evidence to support your claim that no damage was caused to the vehicle.
What happens if I don’t tell my insurance company about damage to my car?
If you don’t report damage caused to your car while it’s parked or after you hit a parked car, your insurance may become invalid. This would mean that you’d have to pay for repairs yourself on future claims, even if you weren’t at fault.
You could find it harder and more expensive to get insurance afterwards, too.
Will I lose my no-claims bonus if someone hits my parked car?
If you make a claim on your insurance for any damage to your car while it was parked, it’s likely you’ll lose your no-claims bonus, even if you weren’t at fault.
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Rory Reid - car and technology expert
Rory Reid is a car and technology expert. He serves as the main presenter on Auto Trader’s YouTube channel and was previously a host on BBC Top Gear and its sister show Extra Gear. He is also a presenter on Fifth Gear. Previously, he hosted Sky TV’s Gadget Geeks, CNET’s Car Tech channel, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Saturday Edition and on the YouTube channel Fast, Furious & Funny.