Research shows around 71% of UK drivers have had their car damaged while parked, with the most common location being supermarket car parks. Sadly, 46% of these are "hit and run" accidents, when the errant motorist drives off without leaving any contact details.
If you damage a parked car, there's a right way and a wrong way of dealing with the situation - and driving off is the wrong way, as you're breaking the law. Only 9% of motorists polled said they would leave a note on the damaged vehicle's windscreen.
© ChameleonsEye / Shutterstock
A survey of 8,000 motorists by Petrolprices.com suggested dents were the most common damage, accounting for 54% of the accidents. Scratches came next at 40%. In the remaining cases, the parked car suffered more serious damage, including having part of the bodywork knocked off.
Read on to find out what to do if you accidentally damage a parked car to avoid breaking the law. You could face penalty points on your driving licence and potentially a hefty fine if you leave the scene without telling the owner what you've done.
What to do if you hit a parked car
In the event of colliding with a parked car, don't leave the scene, even if it's just a small scrape. The law requires that when you’re involved in an accident that injures a person or an animal, or damages property or another vehicle, you must stop.
Pull over to a safe spot, turn off your engine and turn on your hazard lights if necessary. If the other car owner isn't around, leave your details, including your name, address and car registration number.
A frequently asked question on Google searches is, "Do you have to report a minor car accident to police UK?"
If you hit a parked car and you don't have a pen and paper to leave your details, dial the non-emergency police number, 101, to report the accident instead.
What is the penalty for not reporting an accident?
People also search on Google for "how many points for hitting a parked car" and "I hit a parked car and didn’t leave a note" - showing that some drivers will take the risk, even though the penalties for driving away are severe.
The legal requirement to stop comes under Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act. If you drive off after an accident without leaving your details or reporting it, this can result in a prosecution.
This could leave you facing up to ten penalty points on your licence and an unlimited fine for failing to stop after an accident or failing to report an accident.
Can I claim insurance if I hit a parked car?
Write down any details that will be useful for insurance purposes, including the date, time and location of the accident. Make a note of the weather conditions and take photos of the damage if possible on your phone's camera.
Check if there are any witnesses about and make a note of their details if they're willing to come forward to verify your statement of events.
Then, report the accident to your insurance provider as soon as you can. Give them a call, even if you're not planning to make a claim for damage to your own car. Tell them the details and email them the photos, along with the witnesses' contact details.
Will my insurance go up if I hit a parked car?
If there's any costly damage to your car, such as a dented wing that may require replacing, you could put in a claim for repairs. If you have a no claims bonus, you will lose it if you make a claim, unless you're paying extra to protect it.
This would cause your insurance premiums to go up when your policy was renewed. If you have a no claims bonus of several years, you will notice a substantial increase in your insurance costs once it has gone.
If the damage to your car is minor, such as a chipped wing mirror or a small scratch, you might not wish to make a claim, in order to keep your premiums lower. However, the owner of the other vehicle may make a claim off your policy, so you will lose your no claims bonus regardless.
You may wonder what happens if you don’t inform your insurance about an accident? If you don’t stop and simply drive off, you may well hear from the police later. There could be witnesses who make a note of your registration number, or CCTV footage of the incident.
Even if you prang a car on a deserted road after dark, there's still a chance you'll get caught. Then, a claim could be made against you by the owner of the other car, as the police will trace you.
By not reporting the accident to your insurer and failing to co-operate with their investigation, the insurer may recover any payments from you that it has to make for the other car's repairs.
If your insurance policy is cancelled as a result, it will stay on your record and can result in higher insurance costs in the future.
How can I reduce the risks of hitting a parked car?
Many bumps and scrapes happen on car parks because people are trying to reverse into a tight space. You may start panicking and rushing because you're holding up other traffic, particularly on a busy Saturday afternoon.
Improve your visibility and parking skills by having a reverse camera retro-fitted in your car.
You could also have parking sensors fitted to alert you if you're getting too close to a parked car.
If you do have the misfortune of hitting a stationary car, don’t beat yourself up about it, but make sure you do the right thing.
