Any car accident is not wanted by a driver. This may lead to pretty bad consequences including fines, compensation for damaged vehicles, the need to repair your own vehicle, etc. Also, vehicles that have accidents in their records are hard to sell when you want to change your car. So, we want to avoid any accidents on the road because this saves our time and money.
But what if you actually hit the car and see absolutely no damage? Can you just leave or can it then be considered a hit-and-run issue? We've checked this and are now ready to give you the full list of recommendations for what you should do in this case. Unfortunately, the internet is not really helpful in this case and recommends nasty things to you.
Let's get started!
Car accident with no damage - what to do?
If you hit someone's car in a parking lot and see no damage on the other vehicle or on your car, it doesn't mean that there is no damage at all. You are not an expert to conclude that there is no damage.
Technically, if there is no damage, there is no accident. And technically, you can leave this place without any consequences for you. But you should know that very often such cases become hit-and-run issues. After some time, the car owner arrives and sees a scratch or something. Then they may call the police or just ask someone to show camera recordings in this place and find you.
Now, you should understand that the damage to the other car is not only when you visually can see some defects on its bumper. If it's a little scratched, it's already considered the damage and you have to report the issue or at least find the car owner and arrange the situation with them.
We highly recommend you forget about driving away without dealing with the accident and with the possible issue.
What should you do after you hit someone's car?
Even if there is no visual damage, it doesn't mean anything. You shouldn't leave until the owner of the other car arrives and you arrange everything with them. If they are OK with this, you may leave. But better wait till this person leaves the place. They may assure you that everything is fine but after five minutes they will find some scratches and call the police. This will also be considered a hit-and-run issue.
So, here's what you should do when you hit someone's car and aren't sure if there is some damage:
- turn off your car, put it immediately into the parking brake, and never move it till you sort out all the problems;
- after that, try to find the owner of the vehicle - use the administration of the mall or any other facilities you can think of;
- take pictures of both cars - the more detailed the pictures will be, the easier it will be for you to avoid problems;
- if you can't find the other vehicle's owner, call the police - they will obviously tell you what to do in this case;
- never drive away without solving all the possible problems, otherwise, you can get into trouble.
When you have found the owner, you have a couple of possible choices. You can call the police and have the accident registered in case you think there is some damage and you want the insurance company to pay for it. Or you may investigate the possible damages with the owner of the other vehicle and make sure there is nothing to repair.
Remember that leaving the place of the accident is only allowed when everything is sorted out. Just verbal arrangements with the owner of the other vehicle is not a good idea - they may find some damage and call the police. You may leave after the accident is registered by the police, you have written note from the car's owner, or you have given the owner some money to polish the scratch you've found on their vehicle.
What can be wrong if you leave the place of the accident?
If you consider that there is no damage to the other car and just leave, you can get into trouble. First of all, the owner of the other car can call the police and register the accident. It means that the police will find you and consider the issue as a hit-and-run accident. You will at least get a very unpleasant fine.
Also, you will have to compensate for the damage because most insurance companies will not cover this.
About the authors
The CarAraC research team is composed of seasoned auto mechanics and automotive industry professionals, including individuals with advanced degrees and certifications in their field. Our team members boast prestigious credentials, reflecting their extensive knowledge and skills. These qualifications include: IMI: Institute of the Motor Industry, ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technicians; Coventry University, Graduate of MA in Automotive Journalism; Politecnico di Torino, Italy, MS Automotive Engineering; Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Mechanical University in Skopje; TOC Automotive College; DHA Suffa University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
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