What to Do If You Hit a Parked Car

If you’ve just heard a thud and realized you’ve hit a parked car, the panic and uncertainty of the moment can be overwhelming; however, it’s important that you relax and know what to do to avoid legal and financial repercussions. Minor collisions with parked cars are just that—minor. They won’t ruin your bank account or give you a criminal record, but only if you handle them responsibly and follow the law in full.

Stay Put And Stay Calm

After striking a vehicle in Arizona, you’re legally obligated to stop. Calm down and avoid making any rash decisions—if you leave, your crimes will quickly escalate from a minor collision to a far more severe hit and run case, which will have lasting legal and financial repercussions. Even if the damage is minor or you think you can get away with it, don’t try to break the law; many witnesses are unseen by the perpetrator of a hit and run, and you’ll lose most sympathy and credibility if you flee.

If you gave in to panic and already left the scene of the crime, don’t make things any harder on yourself. Immediately contact a lawyer and/ or the police; in the best-case scenario, they’ll inform you that the owner hasn’t filed a report. Regardless, you’ll look significantly better if you own up to your mistake and admit to a hit and run honestly.

Notify The Owner

Your next course of action is to notify the owner of the vehicle of what’s happened. Depending on the extent of the damage and the owner, they might not ask for compensation at all, but it’s still a necessary step by law. When informing them, you don’t have to give much information, and there are a few options for how to do it:

• Find the owner of the vehicle, let them know you hit their car, and give them your name and address, or
• In an obvious location in or on the vehicle, leave a written note that includes the name and address of both the person driving the car who hit their vehicle, as well as of the owner of the offending car (if they’re different people).

You aren’t automatically at fault for striking a parked vehicle (such as if you had to swerve to avoid another auto accident or the car was parked illegally), so you shouldn’t admit fault or act apologetically, even if it might feel strange. Even if you believe you’re to blame, evidence could come to light later that puts the owner of the parked vehicle at partial fault—however, that could be compromised if you’ve already put yourself in a bad light and accepted blame.

Contact An Arizona Auto Accident Attorney

After any sort of auto accident, severe or minor, you should make it a policy to contact a lawyer. Scheduling a free consultation with an experienced attorney costs you nothing, and can net you invaluable advice for the claims process while generally appraising your unique situation. If you’ve hit a parked car or discovered that your vehicle has been hit and need compensation, ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS can help—contact us today at (623) 877-3600 to see what the best course of action is for you.