Reporting Minor Vehicular Accidents
Fender benders or minor car accidents are some of the most common accidents nowadays and while they may not seem intense (since no one suffered any injuries), they are nonetheless accidents that require a standard procedure. Minor property damage usually occurs and the parties involved in the accident often decide to let it go thinking of it as a minor accident with little to no repercussions.
However, if you begin to wonder whether or not you should report the accident to the appropriate authorities, you should understand what your decision would entail. Also, there are two places you would ideally report such an accident to and it is important to know what your reports would entail with both agencies.
Reporting to the Concerned Law Enforcement Agency
Reporting to the concerned law enforcers depends solely on the specific situation of the accident and what state you live in. The law enforcers that respond to your accident also vary from state to state, so you should know in advance who you will be dealing with.
Some states require the reporting of all accidents that cause injury, while other states require reporting for accidents that cause damage costing a set amount (like $1000).
After an accident has occurred, the most important thing to do (after making sure those in the car are alright or calling an ambulance if they aren''t) is to exchange contact and insurance information with the other party involved in the accident. This is a requirement in every state.
Law enforcement should be involved if the other driver does not provide their information or if they do not have insurance. In such a case, law enforcement will help you get the information you need. Law enforcement should also be involved if you and the other driver disagree on who caused the accident. In such a case, law enforcement can aid in finding out who caused the accident by interviewing witnesses and examining evidence at the scene.
Reporting to Your Insurance Company
People generally avoid reporting such accidents to their insurance companies because they do not want their insurance rates to increase or because they think the issue will be solved on its own.
However, it is essential to report all accidents to your insurance company. If you do not report an accident, you may face penalties later on.
Exchanging your insurance information with the other driver is essential, even if you both agree to work it out on your own because there may be scenarios that come up which would require you to have their information and vice versa, such as going home and finding out that the damage was more than you initially thought. The other driver can claim unnoticed damage or for injuries that were not noticed and, in such cases, your insurance company will not have the capacity to provide you with protection because you never made a report in the first place.
Thus, reporting even the most minor car accidents is essential for your safety and protection at the scene of the accident and afterwards.