The holiday season is here, which means many shoppers will be driving in and out of store parking lots for the better part of a month. All that activity can up anyone’s chances of being in a parking lot accident.
Unfortunately, parking lot car accidents happen more frequently than you may think. The National Safety Council finds as many as two-thirds of drivers may be pulling into shopping centers distracted. One in five accidents happen in parking lots.
What do you do if you have been involved in one? Read this list of tips to learn more…
1. Take pictures to document the scene of the accident. Instead of pulling back into the parking spot, you should take photographs of the vehicles as they were upon impact, even if the other side admits fault at that time. Take detailed notes on the time, date, and location of the accident.
2. Move your vehicle out of the way if you are able to do so. Be careful in the process, but if your automobile is drivable, attempt to pull over to an area with less traffic.
3. Check for injuries. If you or any passenger was injured, seek appropriate medical care immediately. Do not wait too long after the accident to seek medical attention, as the longer you wait the more challenging it becomes for your car accident lawyer to prove that your injuries are the result of the accident.
4. Exchange information with the other driver involved. Always get the name, phone number, address, driver’s license number, license plate number, insurance company, and insurance policy number of the other drivers.
5. Look for witnesses. Talk to anyone around the scene of the accident. Get all relevant contact information (name, address, and phone number and/or email address) from bystanders who can provide details later if need be.
6. Call your insurance company. Report the incident to your insurance company as soon as possible, even if you think you may be completely to blame. However, if the damage is very minor, you may decide to work out an arrangement with the other party directly without dealing with insurance companies.