What do you do if you have an accident with a parked car?

You’ve read our posts about what to do when you are in a car wreck here in Memphis, Tennessee – stop, give and get information, call the police, take pictures, etc. But what does the law require, in an accident where you’ve hit an unattended car?

Let’s take a look:

  • Tennessee law states that you are required to stop and attempt to locate the driver to let them know your name and address as the driver, and the name and address of the car’s owner, should that not be you. If you can’t find the driver, you’re obligated by law to leave a note giving that same information with a statement of the circumstances of the impact. Any other information applicable to your insurance policy should also be included. The note should be left somewhere really obvious for quick viewing by the owner of the hit car (we always recommend under the windshield wiper, for keeping it secure).
  • Mississippi law is almost word-for-word the same as Tennessee’s, with one exception: should there be no material damage done by the accident and if the car was parked or placed in a way that the owner was guilty of negligence, no note need be left.
  • Despite that clause in Mississippi law, we have to recommend that no matter what visible damage you do or do not see a note should always be left. It could be midnight on a moonless night, or a street light could be right above you, but damage isn’t always visible. Be overly cautious and exceptionally responsible by letting the owner of that parked car you bumped know what happened and how to reach you.

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