You’re in a Fender Bender, Now What?

Crime

Fender benders can happen to anyone, and distractions while driving, such as smart phones, GPSs, or eating in the car, make minor auto accidents more common than ever. Even if you are an excellent driver with a clean record, it’s likely that you will be involved in a fender bender at some point in your life, so it’s good to be prepared by knowing what to do when it happens.

Remember to stay calm. You might feel like jumping out of your car and yelling a few obscenities, but you’ll need to make sure you aren’t hurt and then keep a clear head so you can deal with the situation.

If you’ve hit a car that isn’t occupied, say in a parking lot, you may be tempted to just leave the scene, but you could end up in serious legal trouble for doing so. In this situation, always do the right thing and try to find the owner of the car. If that isn’t possible, leave a note on the car you hit with your contact and insurance information.

Get Out of the Way

The first order of business is to remove both cars from traffic. This can’t always be done with major accidents, of course, but usually fender benders are minor enough that everyone’s car is still drivable. Once the cars are out of traffic, put on your emergency flashers and, if you have them, use warning triangles. Make sure everyone stands well away from areas where other cars will be driving to exchange information and wait for the police.

Check for Injuries

Even minor accidents can sometimes result in injuries, which can be missed at first. Double check everyone from both cars for injury and, if necessary, summon medical help. It’s not a bad idea to be checked out by your own doctor after an accident, especially if you experienced any kind of whiplash motion to the head.

Call the Police

Call the police so they can take a formal report of the accident, especially if there is any injury or damage to either car. Occasionally the other party will be confrontational, which is another good reason to have police on the scene. (If the other party is confrontational or angry, you should return to your car and lock the doors, if it’s safely out of traffic.) When the police arrive, they will take a statement from each driver and any witnesses about what happened. You should get the officer’s contact info and the accident report number, as well.

Get the Info

Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver, as well as driver’s license numbers and license plates. Also write down whether there were injuries and the names and contact information for witnesses. If the police fill out a report, all this information will be included there, as well. This is especially important if the other driver is aggressive or refuses to give you his or her information.

Document the Accident

It can be hard to remember specific details after the fact, so it’s important to document exactly what happened as soon after the accident as possible. Take photographs of both cars with a smartphone camera, especially damaged areas, and the scene of the accident. Drawing a diagram of the positions of the cars and how the fender bender happened can be helpful, as well. Contact your insurance company as soon after the accident as possible.