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Fender benders: to claim or not

By: Drivers.com Staff

Date: Thursday, 14. December 2006

If you've been driving for a few years there's a good chance you've experienced it--the sudden bang of a 'fender bender.' Over a lifetime of driving you'll probably have several of them, even if you're a good driver.

If no one is hurt, and the damage is not too great, the first big issue is "do I call the police and my insurance company." If it's not too expensive, settling on the spot is a popular strategy. You keep your record clean. Your insurance rates won't go up, and you may save a lot of time going through the system of insurance adjustors, claims, police reports, and so on.

The settling option is fraught with risks. What if you miscalculate the cost? What if the other party reneges on the deal? What if there's an injury that doesn't show up until later?

Nevertheless, many individuals are opting to pay hefty repair expenses rather than bother their insurance companies with their claims. An investigative report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Marketplace program quoted one individual who paid $3000 out of his own pocket for repairs to both cars after his wife was involved in a parking lot fender bender.

He reckoned his insurance rate increases would amount to more than that over a period of three or four years.

The CBC notes that most insurance policies require the policy holder to inform the insurance company of anything that would cause it to increase a holder's rates. In other words, policy holders are required to "fess up" if there's a crash.

However, the cost of fessing up could be considerable. For example, a 60-year-old male living in a small city and paying $1,295/year for a late model sedan could see his rates increase by as much as $336/yr for eight years--a total of $2,688 extra.

In these days of high insurance costs, some research and preparation for the near inevitable fender-bender is in order. This includes:

Further comments to this article have been disabled.


All Comments (173)

Showing 1 - 173 comments

David Kennedy,

We also wondered on how to tell the difference between a fender bender and a collision crash. To help a beginner determine the seriousness of a collision we developed an interactive triage program as part of our CollisionCare App for the iPhone. Family or friends of a new driver can download the CollisionCare App from iTunes. The link is easily available from our website, www.cvlwireless.com/main

jack,

hello my auto in lapsed 5 days i didnt know and 5 days later i hit a parked car backing out of a spot what happens to me after i called my ins company i now picke dup another ins but when he the other driver files a claim what will happen to me i understand im responsible for his damages is that correct but what else ???

gina johnson,

we had a fender bender they agreed to pay for is and never did what can be done about it?

angeles,

someone backed into my car and we filled a report with their insurance but we later decided that we wanted to cancel it and just fix it on our own because we don't want our insurance to find out. My question is will my insurance still find out

Travis,

if you back into a car, and the people let you go, tell you that the damage is not that bad and there is only a scratch, and they call you a month later saying that they want you to fix it or they will call the police. is there anything they can do? how do i know they were if someone else hit that side and they dont know who and just want me to replace it?

lois,

A few weeks ago i was parked in the supermarket carpark, was really windy and when i went to get into my car the door tapped of the other car, and i mean tapped really lightly, as i had already opened the door so there was about an inch between my car and the car beside. there was a small dent, but i dont believe this was caused because of me. However i got a call from the police this morning to say someone had left my details on the car door. i dont know what to do becuase i honestly dont think my door hit it hard enough to dent it? I asked the police to check the supermarket CCTV, and if its shown that it was me then i will obviously have no problems paying. What should i do in this situation? I didnt leave a note, which i do regret now, but i didnt think i had caused any damage.

shun,

i have a question aboutmy car i got bump but there was a little damage ther all ready but they made it worse do i suppose to get the full payment formy bumper.

Maria,

Who's fault in this car accident?
This happened in New York City.
A car squeeze through on my right on a one way street while I was pulling over to the right to park. This one-way street has only one lane. So I did not signal. The result is that his car scratched my car. So who's fault is this? Mine or his? Or both?

INTEPLAST,

My son car got hit due to a girl did not pay attention on red light. There is no witness, the witness is the others 3 girls with her. We both has same insurance company. We called police, but police did not come and only ask them to exchange information each other. The girl lie to insurance company and said she was in green light! The inspector just check the damage. The insurance just dispute to each one's own liabiity policy. What should we do? Will our insrance rate will be increased if both party claim green light?

Maggie O'Brien,

A year ago a girl hit my car. She had no insurance, but promised to pay the damages. I have attempted to contact her numerous times. I sent 2 polite letters to her home. I called her and she told me to do something unmentionable. I sent her text messages on two separate days. She told me she would have a restraining order put out on me. There was no way she is paying and said some very mean things about me and my sons. She then proceeded to contact a police in a different town, give them my cell number and first name. The officer seemed to understand that I was not attempting to bother her, but trying to collect the 2,000 in damages. Duck tape will only hold the bumper on so long.

The officer is going to talk to her. The original address she gave me in no longer valid. How do I go about finding her so we can bring her to court. How do I bring her to court. I have a written promise to pay.

kate,

my teenage daughter backed into a car leaving a football game in a very crowded parking lot. There was a SUV illegally parked insurance (it literally just expired and we are switching agencies).

What are our obligations to this woman? Can we insist on at least 3 estimates? She only got 2 and has dropped the car off today at the body shop and expects a rental to pick her up at work today until her car is ready.

Is all of this the way it is handled? Do we have any thing to protect us as far as estimates and do we have to provide a rental?

Jr,

I did not realize my tailgate was open and my ice chest fell out. Some one was honking and let me know. I realized she was following me then got stuck at the traffic light, we lost each other. What if the ice chest hit her car, what are the consquences if she has my licience plate number and makes a police report?

m savage,

I was in an auto accident and there were no witnesses. The accident was not my fault and the other driver thinks it wasn’t their fault either. Nobody got a citation. What do I do? I have a copy of the police report and the police report agrees with me ,claiming the accident was the other guys fault. Yet his insurance is stating that they will not pay me .What should I do?

Mark,

Mom had a finder bender, did not call police, now her neck hurts and her car trunk will not close.
She did take down all the info on the other driver.
Can she call the police and file the report it's been 72 hours since the incident.
Please advise,
Thank you
Son,
Mark

susan,

I just got back in my car after filling it with gas. The gal behind me said I backed into her. I felt nothing and I had no damage to my car. She had a little dent on the fender. We both had the same insurance companies and we both reported it.

Now weeks later she is claiming injury. So, my insurance has gone up. I talked to the adjuster and asked why they didn't ever check out her car and see how little damage she had (most of the cost to repair was labor)and how in the world could she have injuries.

I also asked why they didn't let me know what was going on, so we could talk about it.

This is wrong! Frankly I don't even know if she may have gone into me.

What rights do I have?

Driver,

To the person who had someone back into their car and damaged their grill: I would have called the police and gave them the license plate number. The fact that he/she also ran from the scene will definitely make him/her get into trouble, especially because they were at fault.

miss jeshira,

I went today this morning to pick up my sister from school cause she was sick. we got in the car and were about to leave as i was backing out knowing there was no one behind me i looked at all mirrors and started to back out as i was almost out i feel and hear a big push and crash and realized ive just been hit from the back it was so hard i was pushed forward...we got out the car and i was so shocked i didnt know what to think the bad part was i didnt have insurance as of that day and didnt know what was gunna happen. An eye witness says we are not at lost cause the other lady didnt look and hit us so we didnt lose in the dispute. The police officer wrote the report and everything and we handed our insurance card even thou its expired and he didnt notice niether did the lady...her car is fine not to mention her cars a big GMC SUV and mines is alittle mazda3. Her car has no damages except a little dent mines completely destroyed with the force of her car hitting. my question is even though we didnt lose and the police officer said shes responsible and we have to talk to the insurance companies does that affect me in the sense since we didnt have insurance but we didnt do anything does that affect us in not getting the car fixed?!

anthony,

how long after a fender bender do i have to make a report

Belle,

I was driving my sister in law's car to work and got into a fender bender in the parking lot. As I was getting out of the parking space I hit the car next to me. I am offering to pay for the damages without having my sister in law's insurance be involved. The person that owns the car is a Automobile Repair Shop that was a loaner car to someone at my workplace. The Automobile shop wants an Insurance Adjuster to come out and evaluate the damages. If my sister in law called her insurance for an adjuster, will this raise her rates? Or after the adjuster comes out I can pay for it? and Never have to file a claim with my sis in law's insurance? Does my sis in law rates only go up if she file a claim? or does it go up automatically if an adjuster comes out? Or how will this affect my own insurance rates being that I'm at fault?

Dessart,

my car was hit in a parking lot, got license plate number but no one is admitting to driving the vehicle at the time it occured. What now, grocery store has security cameras. not really showing much but the truck witnesses saw the truck and gave police license number they went to the owners home and he nor anyone in the family admit to driving the truck.

gabriel aguilar,

so i had a accident at work and i was driving the company vehicle so my boss said to the insurence that some one else was driving to save himself now i have to pay a tickets wat can i do

paul,

I was in a parking lot and a man in a suv backed into my front bumper damaging my grill he left the scene but a good samaratin gave me his his license number. Should I make an accident report with the police dept as a hit and run or call my insurance and risk paying a hire rate? any comment

mmm,

My family and I were on vacation and stopped in a little town and we were looking for parking. I was following my sister-in-law as she turned down a side street and did a U turn so I followed. As we came to the stop sign she turned right. I as well stopped and then followed. She turned into a parking space and I was turning into the one next to her. As I was pulling in her son opened his door and I hit my breaks because it flew open so fast. My heart dropped. Her car was still on as he opened the door. I just need to know if I was at fault.

david,

i was driving through an intersection and i was in the right lane going strait and the other driver was in the left lane we both had the green light the other person hit my front end bumper fender and wheel who is at fault

Julie,

I hit a car in front of me - my fault - and their was no damage whatsoever to the other driver's car nor to my car. We pulled of the road and we exchanged information. I apologized profusely - many times - as a matter of fact. After, I called my father to tell him what was going on as we were waiting and she decided she had to call police because I was doing that. Police came and said everything was fine and looked like he wanted to punch himself in the face for a call like this. Moving on, she claims I did not give her info. plus she also says she was injured which when we pulled over, which before she said she was perfectly fine but claim money probably came into her head so she lied. Insurance is taking over but will she have a chance to gain money over her lie?

Miriam,

I was coming from under a carpark under the building in an area where there are vehicles on both sides of the entrance to the elevated carpark. As I edge out just past the parked vehicles I noticed a car coming quickly towards me. I was able to stop instantly, but the car still managed to rub against the right side of my bumper and received damage to her car. The damage was not a dent, but more like it rubbed on my vehicle. The driver of the car is demanding that I fix her vehicle and claims that I hit her. I do not have any damage. What do you think?

Nett1,

I was in a fender bender last month while entering a garage at my doctors office. This individual was behind me, and evidentally could not wait for the 3 cars in front of me to proceed. They hit my back bumper, and instead of coming over to where my car was eventually parked, they pulled into valet parking, and went into the building. I called 911, and reported the accident to the police officer. They in turn drove over to valet parking and put a business card on this ladies windshield.

Now this lady was being very deceptive, and went into the medical building. When I finally got a chance to go to my doctors office, which was in another building. She and a small child was in the same doctors office, but leaving. She brushed passed me in a hurry, and did not say a word. I had to wait over a week to get the police report back, and decided to file an accident report with the state DMV.

Now this ladies insurance company is calling an harrassing me to settle, and is adding $250 for my pain and suffering. I explained to them that I have a doctors appointment schedule, and will be going to the emergency room. I now have pain in my right joint above my thigh.

I contacted an attorney that I know, and he suggested that I not worry about settling so soon. The insurance company claims representative's job is to close the case as quick as possible. I'm in pain from this, and is not giving me a chance to find out what is wrong, and to seek medical attention.

If the insurance company remains this way, should I just sue the other party in small claims court?

Lisa,

I went to pick my son up from my ex-husbands house to take him to school at the same time my 18 year old daughter was running late for her class at the college. My daughter proceeded to back out of the driveway at a high speed. I had proceeded to back out the the same driveway in order to turn the car around to go forward well who was to know that my daughter was going to pull back in the driveway to turn around in the U as I was turning into it too well needless to say I tapped her front drivers side door with my rear drivers side bumper. The car my daughter drives is in my ex-husbands name while I have my own insurance and my car is in my name. First of all who is to blame and how do we handle this as my daughter claims that I put a dent in her door my bumper sustained some minor scrapes. Please help.

vdidom,

We were both stopped at a redlight. my foot came off break, and i rolled into the van in front of me. There was no damage. The guy wanted to exchange car insurance info. we did. He is now clainming he got an estimate $579. ?what should i do?

Jim,

another student was backing out of parking space and struck my daughter's car. I have a friend who can repair the damage for $600.00 without going through the insurance company. My daughter made a report with campus police which shows the other driver at fault. We have asked the girl if should would pay $250.00 for the damage. She refuses stating that Michigan is a no fault state. Can we make her pay for some of the damages. If so how?? Any help out there??

cait,

I was just in a fender bender, the guy in front of me was reversing so i had to and i didnt see this persons car behind mine so my car tapped hers. There was no damage and we were both fine. I offered her my information but she diddnt take it. im still really nervous she'll change her mind or something and i'll get into trouble for not giving her any information even though she said it was fine. I feel so sick to my stomach!

whoops,

Last week I bumped a car in the parking lot, didn't get a spot on my car but I went in and told the person whos car I tapped. There was a inch and a half splinter in the bumper up high, and the person didn't know if it was new or not and said they'd have to check with their spouse. The next day they said it was new and wanted me to pay. A week later they called and said they had an estimate. No information, names, insurance, police report etc was taken. And after inspecting my car I do not think it is likely at all I caused the splinter... Should I just ignore their calls?

tracey,

i was coming around a corner yesterday stopped as there was a car in front put my handbrake on and she rolled back into me causing a 5p piece to my car and hers her daughter got out saying her back hurt and i had gone into them which i never now they want to take me to the cleaners the lady was 80 driving just wanted to leave its her daughter who wants to pursue it i just feel so sick they could lie now i feel im going to have to pay my excess of 1000 pounds and lose 10 years no claims .

Carol,

I was rear ended a couple of weeks ago. The guys seemed to be nice and he gave all his insurance information. Police was involved, but no one got a citacion. I filed a claim with his insurance and now his insurance won't pay because they haven't been able to talk to this guy to get his statement. Is there anything else I can do to make his insurance pay for the damage to my car? I have never been involved in a car accident. Any advice?

pontiac79,

I was recently involved in a fender bender and contacted my insurance, also the police department and now am facing pts. and a charge of careless driving which hurts my employment record. I admit it was my fault but with this blemish it makes it hard to become gainfully employed. My question is can the county automatically charge someone with a violation such as this when it was a small incident?

Nan,

a lot of questions? No answers. fender bender claim or not to claim.

mistdee,

My partner had an accident a week ago in my car, i was passenger and my 2 little boys were in back. We were doing the speed limit of 60 on a road that had 3 lanes going in one direction. We were coming up to a traffic light that turned orange my partner thought he would make it before it turned red. Then a guy in the left lane who had seemed to put his foot on his accelerator to make it past the lights also, suddenly pulled out in front of us with no blinker and slammed on his breaks and stopped over the stop lines. My partner tried to avoid crashing into his car but could not stop in time. Little damage was done to the mans car, alot of front end damage to mine. His car was almost parked in the middle of the intersection when he got out of his car. he was more worried about getting our details and calling the police (this incident did not involve police apparently)and his insurance company, then about moving our cars to a safer place. I know we will be at fault for crashing into him but he is really at fault. could we possibly fight him on this matter.. Please any help would be appreciated

Courtney,

I was backing out of my school parking lot today, I checked behind me and slowly started backing out. I kept checking in my mirrors to make sure no one was ocming, next thing i knew I bumped this guys truck. There was no damage to my car, and small dent and some paint transfer on his truck. I was obviously at fault. I got out of the car and he told me to not worry about the damage, I offered to give him my insurance info at least 5 times and he declined. There was no police report. He some how recieved my phone number from someone else on campus telling me now wants my insurance info, can you do this? please help!

Mendel Potok,

Auto accidents are the worst, it's why I quit driving. Pedestrians rule!

Kurtis,

If I Rearended someone and they were not the owner of the vehicle. I gave them my name and number but we did not report it and we didnt call insurance. The owner called me the next day and said he was going to get an estimate of the damage. Can he actually report it the day after and what happens if I say I'm not gonna pay because there was not damage cause by me just old damage, like a couple scrapes or gouges not even where the contact was

Tina,

I was the victim of a hit and run. The state took the person to court that hit me and found her guilty of leaving the scene of an accident. I obtained an estimate from Toyota for the damages to my truck. The person who hit me insurance company gave me an estimate that is lower than my estimate. I don't have to take their estimate do I?

david,

I live on a curvy one lane road, and I was going around a curve and a older van side swooped me. Obviously the police will write it up at a no fault situation, but do I pay for my car to be fixed and they pay for theirs? Or Does my insurance pay for them and theirs pay for mine? I wonder, because I like to get my car fixed soon!

Kristy,

I had my first car accident yesterday. Driving on the freeway going the speed limit w/traffic. (there was no traffic at this time) The guy infront of me slammed on his brakes. I slammed on mine, slowed down, but coulnd't stop before I hit him. No other cars were involved. His bumper was just jacked up a little and my car messed up pretty bad, but not totaled. Does anyone know what the average price of the citation will be? I'm dreading getting the ticket in the mail...but curious what I may be paying.

Stacey,

I am parked and a van is parked behind me an has obviously hit me. Should I report it?

Prashant,

Hello there, just got in a tricky situation; just got a fender bender type contact with another vehicle in parking lot, and the driver from other car did not take my information, I said I was sorry and they did not ask for anything else...Should I be worried?

I felt there was no need to go to file as I am not sure who was at fault, may be me or maybe them, not sure; still, no damage to them or me..
So, how does this look?

Rick,

Can someone help me out? I was pullin away from a gas island, and this guy parked behind me too closely, (I believe) and someone was parked in front of me, no space through the front, I tried to manuever by reversing, gettin to the point, I tapped the corner of his bumper, no real damage, just a scuff mark, we exchanged info, but I'm not sure what to do next. Someone help me out please

Dan,

you don't take responsibilty for a crash just on esomeone's say so. Hoever, the damage to BOTH cars shuold indicate.

dont' giveover you insruance etc, until she proves it was you

mg,

3 days ago (in the morning) I got a note on my windshield from a lady claiming that I parked on her bumper on the day before and scratched it,
She said that her car was there from 3pm to 1130pm. And I parked around 7pm. She has a red honda sedan, but I remember that was a black SUV.
I called and told her it was not me.
Today I got I another note, she wants my insurance info, etc because "SHE"wants to handle this asap.
Is it a SCAM? What should I do ?

jmotow,

what if i didnt know i hit the car and am still not sure. But they said I did cuz I was in the company 1ton. I drive a small car and the whole truck is rough riding to me. When they reported they gave the wrong vehicle and our policeman have been harrassing my husband, kids and myself. I dont have money for attorney but am really scared cuz its getting worse. I was denied a state patrolman when I called 911. The city policeman was hurting my huband and our son was in car . One of the saddest things is he thinks that they are untrustworthy,Im not sure hes wrong in our town who nows what they could do

Deborah Divine,

My son damaged the front (low) fender of his car on a parking bumper when he pulled out of a parking space at a friend's apartment. The fender went over the bumper without damage but pulled off the car when he backed out. His insurance is calling it a "collision" which is technically true but they sent us a form to send into the CA DMV to report the collision. Will this result in points against his driving record? Would we be wiser to just pay the damage ($1400) - Will the insurance company still raise his rates if we are able to retract the claim? Thank you

Admin,

Pat, check out our section on Insurance and driving here

http://www.drivers.com/article/1066/

pat patterson,

i was a a stoplight ang lift my foot of the gas slightly which cause me to hit the lady in front of me.she stated that she was fine and no need to call cops there is no damage to either car we took pictures and exchange information. three days later i got a call from a lady claiming to be from usa insurance and that she needs a statement. i hung up to call ny insurance company and now a man is calling claiming to be a agent from nationwide asking for a statement.I've never been in a accident what should i do?

mike,

so this happened to me two days ago, i was backing out at "cornerstone tire" and i hit this other vehicle and left a fender bender, so i then left and the cops came to my place, told them it was me. so they can't do nething 'til further investigation. but idk wut there is to investigate. the guys at "cornerstone tire" said im getting a ticket in the mail. I'm just waiting for it now. I have never been in a collision. I have to go Monday to the P.D. and pick up the police report. i went online and I've commited a class c misdemeanor. just like a traffic ticket and since its my first offense I might just get fined or probation. idk. the way if feel about it is neither party did nething to avoid a collision, and well cornerstone should take better care of there customers vehicles, its not like either of us was trying to avoid a collision.

Dan,

Elise, probably not worth while contesting this one. accidents in parking lots are very difficult to decide legally and only if it's really serious is is worth doing something like getting a crash analyst to look at damage.

elise,

so today at school i was in my car waiting to leave.i was in line not moving,the car that was parked on the side of me pulled out a little but realized i was there and she would of hit me.well i inched up a few and she thought she was clear and she ramed into the side of meand dented the side.i didnt get out and niether did she.all she did was get out look at her car and got back in.well i went straight to campus supervision and told them what happened.now i dont know whos fault it is?

Don,

Ally , the golden rule is if you hit someone from behind you're stuck with the blame. Only defence i can think if is a) you have witnesses that some ahead did something unreasonable or b) you can prove some other way that other drivers drove unreasonable.

However, even with that, the fact that traffic went from 55 to 0 suddenly really doesn't change your responsobiity, which is always to leave enough space.

Ally,

I'm 44, great driving record. Rear-ended a car at ~ 5 mph with a Ford Expedition. Mild-mod damage both cars. Two cars behind crashed too, but didn't quite hit me. Traffic from 55 mph to 0 with no notice. I wasn't speeding, tailgating, distracted, or talking on cell. Got a ticket in the mail 2 weeks later. I'm planning on contesting it in court tomorrow. Anyone out there gone to court for such a matter? Any advice on what to say to the judge to maximize chance of dismissmal? Thanks!

Ron,

Not much you can do Branden. You just got to go with it.

Dan,

Honolulu, when she sys the car sholdn'tbe there ...That's a giveaway. She just won't accept responsibiity mentally. It doesn't matter if the car you hit is illegally parked or not. That's another matter.

Pearl,

Thank You. We will look into it. I wish people were more honest about things. And I wish the victims were sometimes more forgiving. "Only in a Perfect World" Happy New Year's everyone!

Honolulu,

Roughly about 2 months ago my roommate hit my boyfriends car. We were parked behind her car which a police officer said was okay to park. The police officer said that as long as its our roommates car and she knows that that car is ours its okay. If she were to have a problem with it she can TOW it. So we said okay and parked behind her. The day she hit my boyfriends car, she immediately fled the scene and told her boyfriend to inform us. Her boyfriend, my boyfriend and i were in the house. As soon as he told us we went outside to check the damage. The passenger door and fender had a HUGE dent on it. The door couldnt even OPEN!! We didn't file a police report because we knew who was responsible for it and she was my friend and roommate! So hours later when she came home she was crying and apologizing and saying that she would pay for ALL damages. We specifically told her that since she couldnt get it fixed asap to just get the door to open and that she can fix it later. So she got the door to open with the help of her boyfriends friend. Recently we got into drama where she kicked me out in ONE night and she is refusing to pay for my boyfriends car! Its been about 2 months since the hit and about 2 weeks since i got kicked out. No police report and insurance companies weren't notified. What should i do?! First she said she wouldnt pay for it. And she said that it wasnt 100% her fault because the car wasnt suppose to be there anyway. But i do have text msgs that have her admitting to hitting the car. HELP PLEASE!! The damage is pretty huge to my eyes. Please some advice!!!
-Honolulu

Branden,

I was rear ended a few weeks ago and we did an accident report and the other driver was cited for following too closely. I have gotten a copy of the accident report and contacted the other party. I have also gotten some estimates from different body shops. The other party would like to settle out of pocket to avoid a big insurance increase and because he has a $1,000 deductible. He is willing to pay the amount of the estimate but I am just worried that if I settle then the cost could wind up being more than the estimate once the damage has been fully assessed and repaired. I know at this point it would be too late for insurance coverage and the other party could refuse to pay the difference. The estimate I have is for $1036. The damage looks minimal but the body shop said they wouldn't know the actual cost until the bumper is removed. What should I do?

Drivers.com staff,

Pearl

If your boyfriend is convinced he is in the right he should get the services of a crash investigation specialist. You can check this out at

http://www.drivers.com/topic/97/

Pearl,

Last week my boyfriends car was crashed into by his neighbor. The neighbors truck was on top of my boyfriends car--he was hooked by his hitch. The damage was major. My boyfriend found this and took picutes and called the police. Now the police says that their is nothing they can do. The truck neighbor has no insurance and says that my boyfrinds car slid into his and wont pay for anything. My boyfriends feels that he should just give up. What should we do?

Dan,

Suzie - being unaware doesn't mean much. Maybe youi hit the other car and didn't notice.

Is there any evidence that you hit the other car (matching damage, paint scuffs, etc.)? Did this happen IN the wash itself?

If they're saying this weeks later maybe it's because you left the scene without checking damage. That would not be good.

On the other hand, it's very difficult for them to claim weeks later unless they can come up with evidence.

suzie,

what if I was unaware that I actually hit someone from behind ...no one asked me anything...no one got out of their car...but ..now they are saying i did this weeks later...? He doesn't seem to want anything but could he down the line. I was driving a state car and in was in a carwash...he got my name from the carwash people who are saying that they are NOT responsible for anything...

Tom,

It's always a problem when one party could change their mind. You could always aske them to sign a paper accepting the blame but they may not want to. I wouldn't worry about it. You both left the scene and didn't report it.

Moose,

I was waiting to pull out onto a main road and the women behind me hit me. My truck is fine, but her car is not! The hood was smashed and leaking fluids. She didn't want to call the police because she would have got the ticket. I didn't care one way or the other, there was no damage to my truck. I got her first name and her number and gave her my first name and my number, but no other information. Should I have anything to worry about? Should I make a report at the police station? I want to just move on and not worry about it, but is there a possibility that I could get into trouble even though it is not my fault?

John,

I bumped a corner of a car last night. The damage was very minor. I had no pen or paper to leave an address or information. I was nervous just sitting there so I panicked and left. Now I don't know what to do? Should I file a report? Can I get fined for a hit and run by implicating myself in a report only to find the other driver never even files a complaint? Now I can't sleep I'm sick with anxiety if I could do it all over again I would have walked in the nearest establishment and gotten something to write on. What do I do? Please help someone!?!

paulsmith,

hey gary, so u think its possible he can do something like that? what if i deny it....with there being no police involved surly theres not much of a case me and my witness's vs him and his witnesses? to be honest im just hoping hes a decent guy and to the fact i could of pushd his car harder he cant be botherd to go threw with the hastle of tryin to put in a claim.

Gary,

shows how important it is to 'take care of business' when you have a crash. Good advice is to have a camera (disposable maybee) in your car at all times to record damage.

paulsmith,

hey people, just last night i was stuck in traffic when at about 4mph i nuged the car infront (black cab)he had 3 people in his cab i had 2 people in my car, we got out no damage wht so eva he new that i new that. he took my name and number and reg, no police wer involvd and he got bk in his car drove off.... does he have anything if he starts pulling his bumper off or scratching it and sayin he has wiplash or somthing crazy? please help (remember no police)

Cheryl,

My daughter was driving a car which is owned by her stepfather. It was around midnight. She has never had an accident before. Her driving record is clean. She is 31 years old.

She was pulling up to a stop light, about 8 mph, behind one other car. The driver in front of her slammed the brakes on. My daughter bumped the other one's back bumper. There was no damage to the other car.(When my daughter went to court, the other party didn't show up.) My daughter called the cops and was charged with "careless driving". She paid her fine and has been driving safely ever since.

Now, the other party is claiming that she is critically injured. No damage to the car, but her neck is in horrible shape.

How can my daughter prove that this woman is "faking it" for a settlement?

ed,

i backed into a car a week ago we agreed to settle this by ourselfs no cops were called i have a written statement we both signed and amount he wanted im a liabil for any more expenses
for this please help

conn,

looks like all you can do is wait SOS . You DID leave your phone number but how do you know if the owner of the other vehicle received it? Maybe it blew away or someone took it.

sos,

I hit a parked car, the driver side door was dinged and scratch. i left without leaving a note, few hours later i came back and car was still there i left my phone number on the windshield. I wrote down that i agree to pay the damages without involving the insurance company. but she hasn't called yet.. do you think she doesn't accept my apology and just report to the police??? what should i do? what's the worst thing that can happen to me? i didn't write down my insurance info and address just a phone#.. what should i do

Ron,

Yes, it's possible but unlikely. And since the other party did not give or get info they have not complied with the rules needed to claim

SD,

I had a minor fender bender. Since there was no major damage both of us agreed not to claim anything. We did not exchange any kind of information.Is it possible that the other party can come back claiming for a damage(based on my license plate number)?

Nas,

Kathi, just let the insurance companies sort it out. that's what you pay them for!

bakup,

I backed up into a unloading bread truck and just small paint marks on my car, but the step thing on the back of the truck was dented, iwas just wondering about what kind of increase is that going to have on my insurance?

Kathi,

My daughter backed up into a guy who was also backing up at the same time in a parking lot. He said no problemo - called police who said they wouldn't come because they were too busy. He agreed to settle but now has called my daughter's insurance co - they had exchanged information. Insurance co called my daughter and she didn't know what to say. Now what do I do? Damage estimates 950 for her car 550 for his truck. Please help me. BTW - bothe acknowledged 50% responsibility. Only witness is his 11 year old son.

bob,

i had a fender bender where i backed into a woman and im unsure if she was pulling in or just parked when i got out she looked at her damage and told me it was my lucky f@#$@ night and left completly the next day she reported to the police station i have 2 witneses who were in my car and she is threatening to take me to small claims court.....if she left the scene do i have the upper hand in the court?

Ken,

Michelle, I would report this to your insurance company just to cover yourself.

michelle,

I pulled out of my driveway and tapped a parked bussiness truck with my bumper no damage to my car, theres a dent on the truck barely nothing the person got my info . they wont give me theirs they say its a company truck they have to talk to the boss they will not give me any info about the owner which I dont understand why they took down all my insurance information they said will get back to me I dont know if I should report it to my insurance or wait to hear from the owner. what are the time frames with insurance or would I be better paying cash Iam very confused :(

DK,

LividArie

Personally I would NEVER pull up behind a truck stopped on tracks! However, given the circumstances of what’s happened it looks as if you’ve got a problem.

Any witnesses? Did you write a description of the crash and ask the other driver to sign it? As time passes it gets more awkward, since you are supposed to inform your insurance company straight away.

I suggest you do that now, otherwise you may be out of pocket for the lot .

LividArie,

I was in a fender bender the other day, There was a truck on the train tracks and we pulled up behind it, we saw that it looked as if he was going to back up, since there was a car behind us we kept blowing our horn trying to notify the truck we were behind him, but he still backed up into us! why the hell was he backing up on the train tracks???? But with me being late to work and seeing as this was my first time getting in an accident, all i did was take down his ID info and phone number but i never got any insurance info, I called him several times with no response until a couple days later, where we decided to meet up so he can see the damages, I never noticed that my hood did not want to open until i met up with the guy and he was checking the damages, he said he does mechanic work so he would fix it for me, he doesnt want to go through the insurance company for the claim, he has taken down my insurance info, but when i asked for his insurance info on the truck he said his truck was in the shop and he would call me back with the info, today makes it a week since the accident and he hasn't called yet.... what should i do?

bill,

robert, the other driver is being ridiculous. that's no argument.

Robert,

What should I do?

Robert,

I was parked in a no standing zone in a residental area. My car was backed into and the other driver is balking at paying because I was in a no standing zone

bill,

If you are not sure what caused the damage why not try a professional crash investigator. Don't know what they charge but you could always ask. You might get help here --

http://www.accidentreconstruction.com/

mike,

I was involved in a minor fender bender. It was snowy/icy conditions, and I was making a right. There was a Chrysler van there (I was driving my dad's GMC Seirrah pick up) making a left, and when I came around at roughly 5-6 MPH, because it was such an acute angle my truck locked up and slid slowly to meet with the van. No one was hurt, thankfully, but my father had not informed me that he had failed to pay for car insurance a week or two prior. Both vehicles had damage to the lighting panel front left side. Recently I received a bill for $4964.00 from Chrysler, claiming also that the rear door hatch on the van had to be replaced along with a passenger door and the engine mount, along with other things. I'm not sure I believe this total, or that I caused all the damage with this minor collision. Is there any way to refute this?

Ed,

was pulling out of a space yesterday at private club and bumped the rear of a car. Got out and looked - the damage to the other car was a black scratch on the bumper. When I got home I saw that my rear bumper was more badly scratched than I thought. In retrospect, I realize I should have tried to idenitfy the owner and give them my insurance info or pay for any damage - whatever that might be. Any advice?

DK,

If she was not backing up then the other driver is at fault. If she was backing up then its a difficult matter to resolve. One way to deal with this, expecially if there are no witnesses, would be to get an analysis from a professional crash investigator. Could cost a bit but maybe cheaper than taking the blame. You will find a link to Crash investigators web sites here
http://www.drivers.com/topic/97/

joy,

my sister was driving doen a side road..missed a turn...came to a complete stop(past the stop sighn to look for street sighn)and had just put her car in reverse..had not backed up yet..amd then was rearended..the other car had substantial damage..her s was minor.Is it both parties fault?

Frank,

I was in the passengers seat of my brothers car which he was driving today on the highway. He started to make a right turn on for the exit and rear ended the woman in front of us. She was on her cell phone and it happened kind of fast i couldn't tell exactly what happened. It seemed like she hit her brakes too fast, but i could be wrong. He got out to deal with her and a few moments later i got out. I believe she said she didn't want to call the police. They exchanged information, and SHE took pictures with her camera. Now my boss told me we should of called the police. Any advice on how to handle the situation? The damage to her car seemed minimal, my brothers was far worse. Any help is appreciated.

meliss,

i was invovled in a fender bender yesterday. my fault. we pulled over. there was very little damage to her car. my truck got the worst of it. dented bumper. she said its no biggie and we dont have to do anything about it because our insurance rates will go up and the economy right now is horrible. i didnt want it to be considered a hit and run. so i asked if we could exchange names and phone numbers. we did, then she left. then i followed after. i didnt call my insurance company because i thought we agreed that it wasnt a big deal. tonight, her insurance company called me and left a message on my phone. im scared to call back. whats going to happen?

Walter H,

I agree, it's your fault, and by the way don't blame the manual shift. It actually stops quicker if done right.

RE damage, you need to have it assessed and then agree on compensation. Then you can decide if it's worth it going through insurance.

allen,

allen writes:
Im a college student and on my way from a party me and some friends were leaving to go home.The friend in front of me stopped very abrumptly and I have a manual car so its harded to stop quickly. i slam on my brakes and end up hitting him. We get out of the car and look at the damage and he says "what ever" and leaves. I called him and asked what do do want to do?It has been almost a week and hes complaining now. I have witnesses and i know its my fault what should I do?

RED,

Hey lady Mez, he has no case!

Lady Mez,

Was at a red light, dropped my soda and as I reached down to get it, released on the break. I tapped the guy in front (bumper cars had more impact)Pulled over, my car had no damage and this guy had a tiny scratch about the size of my fingernail. He made a statement about "her car is recently new" telling me it was NOT his car. No police report was made. He basically implied it was no biggie. He only has my name and email. He emailed me, saying "his" car needs a new bumper cuz this scratch cant be fixed..so its like 600+. I think his claim is outrageous. I told him lets go through insurance and he doesn't want to. I just wanted to ignore him now. Would he be able to make this worse for me if I did?

DK,

Sorry Gabbie. Not much grounds to fight this one. Whenever you are moving out of a space you have about 95% of the responsibility for any collision (That's why I always triple check and move slowly!). Same applies, for example, if opening your car door into a traffic lane.

gabbie,

i was backing out a a parking space in the parking lot, i chceck my side mirrors and rear view before backing and didnt see anyone, upon looking to the front to make sure i wasn't close to the car to the left of me i hear a horn and bumped the car i guess came into th parking lot, we exchanged info. and waited over 30 min. but the police didnt show, am i at fault for this? I'm only 20 and the other person was like 45 and keeps saying i'm at fault but I don't think I am. And he claims he tried to put his truck in reverse but wasnt able to in time, which makes no sense seeing how after the bump he got right out of his car!
pleas help

DK,

Becky,
Usually there's a requirement to report collisions to your insurance company. However, people who settle between themselves usually dont' do that.

About coming back for more - anything could happen, but since you have settled it between you and you have a receipt for the repairs the other driver doesn't really have a case anymore.

Becky,

I was involved in a fender bender a few days ago,i agreed to pay for the damages since it was kind of my fault..Ok I took the money to the body shop where he had it fixed and paid them and got a reciept, can he come back for more money later on? Neither one of us called the cops, we just worked it between ourself...

DK,

NO, tessa, a hit and run is a hit and run. they're copping out

tessa,

i was parked in an handicapp spot i didnt see the sign well anyways a car jumped the curve hit my car and drove off and the police say that they are not going to do anything because my car shouldn't of been parked there is that true?

OOPS,

I was driving home from school. I was on a hill going down. At the bottom a car stopped after hitting the car in front of it. i went down and hit the car i was following. The damage to the car i hit was pretty bad because i was driving my moms Suburban. My car had a few scratches but that was it. We didn't call police but went to the reporting center.
Is there anything else i should do? Should i have done differently?
1st car in line: dented bumper
2nd car (i hit): broken bumper, trunk, lights, quarter panel
my car (3rd): scratches on bumper

vic21,

in a minor collision like this it's not likely they would feel neck pain so soon.usually it takes a while to set in

Don,

Yeah, you were too close! but anyway, from your description this looks like a set up and your best bet is to make sure this incident is thoroughly investigated. If they're scammers they won't want that.

Otherwise it's an insurance matter

LC,

I tapped someone from behind-literally. He came to a quick stop and I had to stop abruptly as well. Unfortunately, my tires skidded slightly thus causing my car to make contact with his. When I realized my car had actually 'hit' his, I got out as to acknowledge and apologize. I approached the couple with a smile on my face as if to say, 'wow, that was a close one.' I immediately looked over both cars (my fender, his bumper) and there was absolutely no damage to either car- no scratches, no dents- nothing. I apologized for the inconvenience and figured we would part ways. However, that was not what he had in mind. He was extremely rude and agitated. He immediately began complaining of back and neck pain and telling me of the poor health of his wife and how this could have really done her in. I was floored, and based by the looks of things, never dreamed we would have the need to involve cops. This guy was determined to have them come to the 'scene'. I tried to reason with him- very politely-and stated the obvious-ZERO damage- to either car- no real impact on the bump! He wouldn't hear it and started raising his voice, reiterating how hurt he was and felt the need for he and his wife to go to the hospital. At that point, I became irritated and asked him what he was trying to do- looking for money- etc. We got into a heated discussion, leading to his telling me he would do whatever it took to 'bring me down' He would 'prove I was on a cell phone- or whatever...' First I was not on a cell phone, and even if I was, it is not illegal in my state- but I was NOT on the phone, regardless. He continued his threats of how he would 'get me' and at this point, I backed off completely and called 911 myself. Fortunately a local patrol-type came by and 'mediated' until the cops got there- which made me feel a little safer as I had gotten back in my car to avoid anymore confrontation. So, about 20 min later, the cops got there- asked us stories and if everyone was ok. The couple both complained of head aches or backaches, but refused the need to go the hospital. Finally, the cops charged me with a citation for 'driving to close' because there was car to car contact. On the citation, they stated 'slight damage'. When I asked why this charge when there was no damage, I was told that if the cars make contact, they have to put that on the citation. 'No damage' means no contact, and we did have contact. They also stated seeing trace amounts of grey paint on his bumper (from my car). At any rate, ths is quite positively the biggest joke I have ever dealt with but it is something I won't take lightly becaues it involves me driving record and my insurance. I am 32 and never been in an accident. Secondly, these folks motive is very clear. Insurance claims. I certainly don't want to receive a bunch of bogus claims on my insurance- that would be so fraudulent. Has anyone else been in a situation like this before, and what was the outcome?? How do I deal with it? I have every intention of going to court and fighting, but the bottom line is- I did still 'hit' them- regardless of damage or not. Any advice is welcomed and appreciated! Thanks!

jt,

Last night i was leaving a restaurant with my fiance'.. i began to back out of my parking spot after checking twice, left right left, for any cars.. didnt see any. it wasnt until i was almost completely backed out of my spot when i bumped a car that had pulled around the corner out of nowhere. i pulled back into my spot and she pulled up in the spot next to me. we got out to inspect any damage.. i was driving my fiance's car, which had zero damage. The other driver's car had a small dent and scratch on her front driver side quarter panel. I then asked what she wanted to do about it, and should we call the police.. she said "no no dont worry about it, its not a big deal, this car is a piece of junk anyway, i really dont care, and im not gonna bother with it. seriously, its no big deal, dont worry" It then became apparent that she and the two other girls she was with appeared visibly drunk/intoxicated, as she did not want to call the police, she genuinely didnt seem to care about it, and while my fiance and i were still standing outside of the cars, they just said "its all good, you guys dont need to do anything, have a good night, etc.", and they just walked away and went into the restaurant! I didnt know what to do at this point as i had made multiple requests to get this taken care of, and she didnt care about doing anything (calling police, exchanging information, etc.). So i took my fiance home (we literally live accross the street from the restaurant), and then i even went back up to the restaurant to make sure she was sure she didnt want to do anything. I found her and her friends at the bar in the restaurant taking shots, and i again, for the third time, asked if she was ok and if she was absolutely sure she didnt want to do anything about this. i even offered to buy them a round, but to no avail. Again, she stated that she didnt care about it and for me not to worry.. Im just really worried now that she might turn around and try to come after me to collect later.. Any advise on what any of you would have done in my place?

DK,

To Tri

Once the other driver didn't have a driver license you should have called the police immediately. Now he can say he did have one. .... and your mom is going to have to find out. No other way.

DK,

To Andrew above -- when you are hit form behind it is invariably the other drivers fault unless there are special circumstances and witnesses to prove your story. Basically, this was a hit and run. I would check out the damage and if it is anything at all then notify the other driver and the insurance company.

Tri,

Ok, I had a fender bender about three days ago with a mexican man who did have insurance but no drivers license. We decide to move the cars to the nearest gas station. We exchanged information, he had my insurance card info. but I just had his name and number. We decided to handle it verbally but soon later I got a call from my insurance company calling about an insurance claim. What do I do next? Oh, and I am also trying to keep this from my mom b/c it was her car.

Andrew,

Today I was on my way to work and was waiting to turn left at an intersection. I had turned on my signal at least half a block before the light and I had been sitting, waiting to turn for at least ten seconds. All of a sudden, the person behind me bumps into me. I look in the rearview and he won't look at me. So I turn the corner and pull over and I look to discover that he's kept on going down the street. I was only two blocks from work and I didn't have the non-emergency police number so I drive down the street to work, turn the corner, and there the guy is, sitting at a stop sign! I pull over again and get out and he speeds by me once again. I got his plates, though, and called the police when I got to work. Very minimal damage--just scratches. Called my insurance agent too. The police officer tracked down the guy and just gave me a Driver Information Exchange Report and he recommends I get the car looked at because while the damage looks minimal from the outside it could be worse underneath. I wasn't going to do have it looked at until he told me that, so now I'm setting up an appointment.
Was this a hit-and-run? The guy's insured too, according to this Information Report. I am 99% sure this isn't my fault since I didn't brake suddenly or anything and I pulled over to get his information.

Joseph,

Aaron you are at fault and have to pay up. The other day the car in front of me in a right turn lane hit the brakes and I slid into her. It was a blizzard, and I was going very slow, but the brakes did absolutely zero. I slid going in super-slow motion. It was horrible. The road was one lane, super icy and a little downhill, and there was nothing I could do. I tapped her, but my SUV is big, her car small. There was a little damage, but nothing I would get fixed. A few scratches and dings from my license plate screws. She calls me a few days later... $600 for a new bumper. Totally sucks, but what can I do? I have to pay. I was technically at fault. Wouldn't everyone be better off if bumpers actually did something? It is a fricken racket.

Aaron,

I was sitting at a red light with my friend and I saw the green light and I started to accelerate and the lady in front of me accelerated and then stopped so I wound up barely and I mean barely tapping her and she was cussen me like you wouldn't believe so we pulled off and There was no damage on either car and she said it looks like I got lucky and my inurance company called me this morning and said that she was filing a claim. Any Advice?

Ed,

I just had a little fender bender on the way to school today, my fault. I was at a yeild sign and the car ahead of me went, but then stopped in the lane she pulled out in, and I rolled into her thinking she wouldn't be there. We got out, assed that damage(hardly any), and exchanged information, she got my car insurance info and she just gave me her name and number. She seemed like she really didn't want the cops involved when I mentioned it. So, looking back (and regretting) it was dumb not to call the cops. I'm just worried that she'll contact me with an outrageous sum. Any comforting words?

Jon,

My wife had a fender bender today in a drive through. The drive through is on a slight up incline, and was very slick due to snow. Her car rolled back slightly when the tires started to spin in the snow and she slid back and tagged the car behind her. She also drives a manual transmission which probably contributed a little to the roll back. The other driver yelled at her saying it was her fault and wanted her to drive the the bank machine and give him $100. She refused, and gave him her business card. He however provided her with no contact information saying that he would call her. There was no visible damage to either car however he contends that his bumper was shifted. I would prefer not want to go through insurance for this.... It happened on private property so no police report was filed. I feel that this is the other drivers fault for following too close.

Any Advice?

Miranda,

not worrying havent reported the thingy either havent heard from police so maybe all bown over... :S can only hope

DK,

Wouldn't worry about this one Miranda.

Miranda,

I can't take him to a body shop as he didn't give me his phone number would only show licene for name and licence number, I haven't heard anything from himself or the police yet. I haven't reported the accident yet as it not compulsary to report a petty crash in Western Australia, and the police told me that i don't have to but then they cpouldn't tell me if he has reported it or not. The black mark is from my rubber bumper, there is minor denting under the scrape.

Kurt,

Miranda you really needed an independent assessment here.Can you have him tke the car to a body shop you recommend? Since your uninsured your in a tricky spot

John,

I was distracted and when I saw the green light I let go of my break, and hit the car in front of me. We both pulled to the side and inspected the damage, I couldn't see any (although it was dark). I gave her my insurance and we exchanged phone numbers since it was my first accident and was nervous.

I called her that night after talking to my parents, and asked that we leave insurance companies out of it. She agreed and said she'd call me back after assessing the damage at a ford dealer.

Am I basically screwed if she demands a large sum of money? It was a very light bump and she didn't appear to be breaking, so she just rolled forward...

Miranda,

i was parked in a shopping centre carpark, i reversed about half way out after checking it was all clear twice (ive only had my licence a week) and then out of no where a subaru wrx hits my rear left hand bumper then continued for the full length of his car, there's a large black mark on the left hand pannels from the passenger door to the boot. i believe that when the impact occured he should ahve reversed and then only minor damage would have occured. Who is at fault here? he believes there is $5000 damage!! i'd say $300 max. What happens now? I'm uninsured.

DK,

Alexia, braking for no apparent reason could be a scam. Sometimes people do that to tailgaters knowing they will settle rather than go to the insurance company. If you think that's the case then go to your insurance company or at least report it. If it's a scammer they won't like that.

On the other hand, you were too close .... if it's raining you should be farther back!

Alexia,

I was driving home and it was raining outside. It was a green light and the car infront of me slammed on their breaks for no apparent reason so I had to slam on mine as well. Because of the rain, my car did not come to a complete stop and instead I ended up rear-ending the car infront of me. My bumper is dented in and she has minor scratches plus some dents on the back of her car. I know it will automatically be considered my fault because I was behind her, but is there anything I can do with the fact that she was breaking for no reason?

sandy,

My daughter's friends mother dropped her daughter off in the street-as we (including her daughter) were preparing to leave our driveway. Friends mother decided to pull into our driveway, knowing we were preparing to leave, and my husband backed into her, in our driveway. She made a right turn into our drive way. Damages to her car only. Doesn't she have to make sure it's safe to pull into a driveway? Especially since she watched us all get into the car and prepare to leave.

Nana,

I just took my DL last week, I am good a backing up and getting out of parking lots, however, tonight when I was backing up,a Truck was parked very close to mine, so I kinda got close to it, but didn't think anything hapend, didn't hear a noise or feel anything, when I got home I thought I'd check the right side of my car, and I found a scratch, what should I do now?? Just to add one thing, it was a HUGE truck and the tires were as high as my door is :( HELP:((

FL,

Earlier today I accidentally hit the back of someones car after they stopped abruptly.
We both pulled into a parking lot to assess the damages and the man said he wasn't worried about the minor scratch on the back of his car, because he could rub most of it off.
He didn't take any of my information at all, we both just drove off. I've never had anything like that happen to me. Should I be paranoid that he could somehow make some sort of claim against me?

DK,

The fact that you were in a no parking zone is irrelevant (except you might get a parking ticket). The person who backed into your truck has to take responsibility. This is a basic principle of traffic. Afterall, suppose there was someone standing there, or a car just stopped?

There's no escaping the responsibility of being a driver.

kt,

someone backed up into my truck when i was in a no parking zone.. hes refusing to pay the deductible and says that its partially my fault cause i was illegally parked.. im not sure what to do cause i read on here that its his fault.. even though i was parked in a no parking zone..

DK,

Kr, what you say above sound like very good causes but unfortunately they do not constitute a good legal excuse.

However, you've provided the rest of us with a good lesson -- you can never check enough when you're backing up. That's particularly true these days when cars have very poor visibility out the back.

Personally I think every car should now be equipped with a back-up warning system. However, I notice that the makers of this equipment understand that they can make drivers complacent and they specifically say in their instructions that back up warning doesn't relieve drivesr of the need to check.

kr,

it was dark,my car has factory tinted windows, a black car was parked on the narrow street that my driveway faces. the black car was also parked next to hedges that are taller than the car. the car was parked in the space we use to back up, this car was totally invisible, but I got a ticket for not being careful, I have an excellent driving record and did look but the car was totally hidden by darkness, hedges being taller than the car, the car was black, and my windows are tinted. I don't think I should have gotten a ticket. I drive a new car and am now going to be out my deductible to fix it. any comments?

ADAM,

Reba, if she looked and then drove away I think that's the end of it. In the worst case suppose she decides later to call it a hit and run or something then she doesn't even have a case cos she didn't even talk to you. I wouldn't worry abotu it.

reba,

today i was sitting at a red light and my foot slipped and i rolled and hit the car in front of me. She got out of the car with a very angry face and didnt even come and talk to me and didnt say "hey let's pull into a parking lot" she just got back in her car and drove away. But she immediately turned into the first shopping center. In panic, i just kept driving. Can i get in trouble for that? there were no damges and she didnt establish any meeting place or concern for talking to me. she was mean.

dashrath,

dear sir

my pc display driver not working please download display driver of intel 845

Bono B,

Michael, you have got to take the bull by the horns and fess up here. Otherwise you are going to pile up troubles for yourself in the future

michael,

i was driving home last night, and i was trying to make a right, but i was two lanes to the left, so I signaled, checked my mirrors, and didnt see anyone, so I skipped two lanes to take a right. And as soon as i start turning to the next street, i hear someones horns goin off and im hit with minor dent in my rear bumper, and he doesnt have much damage, jus small dent close to his headlights, i was scared and didnt know what to do, so i gave him a made up name and number and called it a night. He saw me in my uniform, and the next day, he called my job and described me and my car. my manager didnt say it was me, but i dont know what to do... what should I do??

Mike,

Shelsha, this is common. people see a tiny scratch and then are surprised when they find out how much it costs to fix. I suggest you get a quote of your own. Find your own body shop asd ask her to bring it to them. $1000 is a lot.

shehsha,

I barely scratched a parked car, backing up & then went out and searched for the owner of the car. She came out looked and there was a bump the size of a pea so she said "don't worry about it". I asked her 5 times & she said no big deal. Now she calls me next day and says oh I will take it to my mechanic, and now a week later she is back with a $1000 quote for the bump on her bumper. what should i do

srikanth,

i need intel 845 g drivers . where can i get it?

Jordan Steiner,

i was driving down the road at 45 when i hit a stray mexican. i did not stop for fear of prison. What should i do? i feel bad and want to help.

Alix Flood,

i was hit a few weeks ago anf just the othr day some wireing inthe car light on fire because they werent hook up to the trunk dome it caught fire melting a few wires and part of the carpet. is it possible for internal wiring can get messed up due to a pretty bad fender bender on the rear right side of the car. or could it of happened becaus ei have had to take myy car to many shop app. due to the accident. please let me no.

Don,

If he coms back with a high bill then you have to go through insurance. Actually you're the one who should have gotten the estimate so yo really know. Did yo utake a photo with your cell phone camera?

Jason,

I read ended someone at a traffic sign, there were minor damages. He got by number and took off as he was in a hurry. He called me later and we exchanged addressed. Now we both agreed to leave the insurance companies out of this. He said he will get an estimate and mail it to me. I am afraid that he might come up with some big amount, since I didn't notice any big damage on his car. I am willing to pay upto $300. What shall I do if he comes back and says that there is $2000 damage? Please advise

mitu,

I was hit by a car from the behind- a minor fender bender while I was waiting on the ramp to merge onto the main route. I turned my hazard lights on, stopped my car, viewing the driver in the car behind . The driver behind stopped too. Basically my car was now blocking the entire off ramp traffic but there was no shoulder, I could pull upto, so I slightly pulled further up.Making sure that traffic was clear to get off my vehicle in order to inspect my car, when I opened the door to get off, I saw that this offending vehicle overtook me and sped ahead, overtaking a vehicle ahead as well. I just could note the car's license plate number and remember the drivber's face.Considering that my car suffered barely any damages, should I consider informing my insurance company or filing a complaint? Please advise.

shaun huntington,

what if the person you hit dose not have a police report

AL,

Don't know about the cold case but I thnk you are supposed to report EVERY accident to the insurance so that might be a problem if she goes to them, for her and for you

TheGuy,

i was in a fender bender roughly just over a month ago. no police were called to the scene. it would be considered my fault because i was the one in behind. the damage estimate was roughly $550. i found someone who works for an accredited body shop and would have done the work for $250 and this other person declined.

i want to pay her but i can't for about another week. she told me if i don't come up with the money tomorrow, she'll go through insureance. i was told that if a police report was not filed within 24 hours, it's considered a cold case and she would be left with no choice but to wait the one week. can anyone confirm this?

Walter,

It's you Jen. The fact that the other car was illegally parked is a different matter and not relevant, unless she drove into your path as you were backing up, then with you backing up and her coming in it would be a toss up depending on circumstances.

jen,

I was parked in a parking lot, another car parked behind me (which was a no-parking zone) when I went to back out of the spot, I ran into her car. Who is liable for damages???

Gary,

It's you emily. You are always responsible for where you go and you can't blame the trucker for your mistake

emily,

i was about to make a right turn out of my school...when a hug semi-truck strted veering my way....the space to get in was too little for me to just squeeze through....and i had nothing to to do but back up or else i would have got hit...because the truck kept on going froward instead of just stopping....when i moved back there was another car in back of me....and i hit his bumper.........now he wants me to pay for it....whos at fault...me or the semi-truck driver?

Kenney,

If its a bumper $4000 sound outrageous. Anyway, he accepted $500 so you have a verbal agreement with him.

Ideally you should have had him sign a paper saying he accepted the deal.

Only problem now is if he goes to the insurance company and you get a bad record with them.You might want to check with an insurance company without giving the game away.

Abra,

I got into a situation where i scratched the rear bumper of the car in front while pulling out of the sideway parking.
I am not covered for liability. So i gave him 500$ for repairs, we exchanged no's and address and went off. As i tht its a minor scratch case, it wont be more than 500$. Now this guy comes back after 4 days and says that his mecahnic is saying 4000$, so pay me or i call the police. As it has been more than 5 days now the acc. took place and he did not file a police report at the time of accident, how is the probabilty that he can now land me in trouble after 5 days of acc. I am sure that this guy is making up stories as it cant be 4000$ for minor scratches.... plz help

Vegetable,

marq: If you can't distinguish between this site and one that actually has anything to do with computer drivers, then you generally have no idea how to make proper use of English either.

marq,

why do most people have such poor spelling and grammar?

Sad Girl,

i was going to turn right into a driveway and veered left before turning on signal to go right into the drive way. the car behind me followed close the whole time and side-swiped me when they passed me to the right as they gunned the car past. it was a 25mph zone and there were no lines on the road. who is at fault? i got cited...

ravi,

my motherboard 845 pls give me drivers

cursed123,

what happens if the person that hit you from behind is the sheriff? he did not even have the decency to get out of the car first to see if I was OK. I had to get out and question him.

enam,

not working sund

Viki,

Just got a notice in the mail that I owe 4500. I was at a stop sign,a car coming was in the process of turning right he had his signal light and slowed to turn I started to proceed and the car swerved out in front of me and scraped his front and back doors on my bumper my air bags did not go off nothing happened to my car but his car doors were dented in (still opened)Anyway,he did not want to call the police, or ins co. He said we would work it out between us. I told him to call me and I would pay for half the damages. He never called me,and he ended up calling his insurance company and now a year later I get a notice that I owe 4500.00 for the damages. Can they do that isn't there a process and doesn't there have to be a police report if the damages are more than 500.00? Anyway, just wanting some advice to pay or not to pay! Will it go into collections? From Calif!

Pam,

My daughter was pulling out of her parking space in the school parking lot. She saw that another driver was pulling out and about to hit her, so she stopped and honked her horn. The girl continued backing and hit my daughter's bumper. Both girls didn't quite know what to do, so they exchanged phone numbers. From my daughter's account of the incident, it sounds like the other girl's was at fault. My daughter called two people who witnessed the accident, and asked them what they saw happen. Both told the same story that my daughter told me. The other party said that she was already in Drive when my daughter honked her horn, and that my daughter hit her car. My insurance agent agreed that it seems that the other girl was at fault and that her insurance company should pay. We called the police who said since both parties left the scene, filing a report makes no difference. We live in Florida.

swan,

say I bumped someone and we pulled to the side to see NO VISABLE DAMAGE. the person i bumped was kinda freaking out and wanted the whole insurence information... but she never called the cops. im figureing she will inform her insurance company..

--what will most likely happen?

lionel,

A lady backed into my parked car in a lot she said she would pay without going through insurance, so I set up my repairs at a body shop, gave a deposit,now she's thinking of the insurance route.With no fault insurance in ontario,is my insurance co. going to be okay with me going ahead and setting up the repairs already? Or am I going to lose my deposit? If I have to go through insurance I'll get new parts instead of repairs=higher cost to fix.

prashanth,

plz send me mother board drivers of mercury

Dan,

If the driver ahead suddenly starts to reverse then it's his fault. However, you have to prove it. Got a witness?

Or, one driver I know hired a forensic crash analyst who was able to tell from the damage just exactly what happened. The other driver had to back down.

Not sure where you would find one of these experts but you could try our Crash investigation section at
http://www.drivers.com/topic/97/
Scroll dwon and try some of the organizations listed.

frank,

what if the driver in front pulls out of a stop sign and then suddenly starts to reverse (in the middle of the intersection?

houston,

i need ac87 audio driver please help

billyBob,

It's yours my friend!
If yo hit him then it's all your fault, even if the driver in front did something to bring it on.

Hard to think of a situation in which it would not be your fault. The driver behind always gets the blame

Thinkact,

What happens if Driver in front of you puts sudden break and you end up hitting him. Whose fault is that?

sonu,

hi sir,

my motherboard 845 gly but my sund driver not working so, please give me sound driver

thank you


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