Someone hit my parked car and didn't leave a note. What can I do?

Someone hit my parked car and left Australia

Well, maybe they didn’t leave Australia but they certainly left you fuming! Picture it. You come back to your parked car after shopping and see damage.

Your stomach sinks as you take in a crumpled side panel and missing side mirror. But it gets worse because the person that hit you hasn’t even left a note!

What are your options? If the damage is significant or you witnessed the vehicle hit your car and drive away, then you should contact police straight away and file a police report.

Don’t move your vehicle until they attended the scene. If there are any witnesses, you can ask them for their contact details to help you later in your insurance claim.

You should take as many photos as you can of the car, making sure to include close up and wide shots and how it was parked on the street.

Include photos of any debris on the ground and identifying landmarks (like street signs). The photos are for your insurance provider.

You should call your insurer and start a claim. Once you have a police report number, you can give this to the insurance provider. If you learn the details of the at-fault driver, their insurance company will have to be called. But who do you call first?

If you have comprehensive car insurance, it’s always easier and smarter to get in touch with your own insurer first. After lodging your claim and providing the necessary information, you can contact the at-fault driver’s insurance company but sometimes your own insurer will do this as a part of the claim.

Will the claim impact your insurance rating?

Generally speaking, it won’t if you weren’t at fault but check your car insurance policy to make sure.

What to do in a hit and run parked car situation

Again, call the police as it’s an offence to hit a car and leave the scene. If your dash cam was turned on at the time, save your footage.

If the accident happened near somewhere that has CCTV cameras, request a copy of the footage. In the case of a hit-and-run police may be able to identify the registration of the vehicle that caused the damage.

What to do if someone scratches your car while parked and left

Honestly, there’s not much you can do if the scratch is minor because it won’t be worth the cost of fixing it. Especially if you go through insurance as you’ll most likely have to pay your excess.

Do you know what you’re meant to do if you’re involved in an accident?

If you’re involved in a car accident, the most important thing for you to do is stop and turn off your vehicle. This reduces the risk of fire in case the crash did more damage than you realise.

You should also turn on your hazard lights so those around you know to slow down.

The next most important step is to help anyone who has been involved in the crash. Do they have an injury? Dial triple zero (000) and request an ambulance while assisting the injured party.

If there is an occupant who can’t get out of the vehicle due to structural damage request a fire truck from the 000 operator.

Stay at the crash site and assist fire, ambulance and/or police if required.

You do not need to call the police to attend a crash if there are no injuries and vehicles do not need to be towed away.

If safe to do so, check whether there’s anything on the road from the crash that could be dangerous or cause another crash, such as debris or broken glass. Move it off the road.

And lastly, you must exchange contact information with the other party and/or police. You must share your name, address, and vehicle registration number.

If the vehicle you’re driving isn’t your own you must share the name and address of the owner, as well.

What happens if someone is hurt or has died?

If anyone is injured or killed in a crash, you have to call an ambulance and then the police on triple zero. Police attend and investigate crashes when a person is trapped, killed or injured.

They will also attend if a driver is believed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, if a person fails to stop or exchange information, if they need to direct traffic or deal with hazards and if a bus or truck needs to be towed away.

At the crash scene, you must always give police your drivers licence, as well as your name and address. You also need to tell them the details of the crash and the vehicles involved and any information about any witnesses and other drivers involved.

Drivers involved in a serious or fatal crash will be taken to a hospital for mandatory drug and alcohol testing. An investigation will be opened by the you state or territory's Crash Investigation Unit (CIU) and the coroner will be informed.

Did you know that if you fail to stop and render assistance in an accident you can be fined?

For example, in NSW it's $3300 for your first offence, with a maximum prison term of 18 months and a suspended licence for at least 12 months.

If it's your second or subsequent offence, you will be fined $5500, and face a maximum prison term of two years and a disqualified licence for a minimum two years.

What do you do if you’re involved in a crash with a truck carrying a dangerous load?

You should immediately call the police and fire brigade on 000 and warn people away from the accident. Help anyone you can but try not to touch any spilled chemicals and try not to breathe in fumes.

Usually there is an Emergency Procedures Guide attached to the truck driver’s door, follow these procedures, if it’s safe to do so.