Now that the holidays are ushering their way out until next year, many Alameda County residents have made their way back to the stores from whence their gifts came, to return their items. However, as many of us know, parking lots can sometimes seem more like race tracks and as a result can be the perfect place for an accident causing injuries.
Thankfully, one insurance company has come to the rescue with suggested tips on how to avoid a parking lot accident.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that nearly 20 percent of all motor vehicle accidents occur in parking lots. Now, many accidents in parking lots are non-serious and if there are injuries, they are generally not life-threatening. However, they can be time consuming and expensive – not to mention, really frustrating!
So, what do you do if you are the one who hits a parked car? Well, even though it won’t be the highlight of your day, you should do everything that you can do to contact the owner of the vehicle. If necessary, go into the store with the license plate and description of the car and ask the store owner to attempt to locate the vehicle owner.
What if the shoe is on the other foot? Let’s face it, not everyone is going to go out of their way to let you know they smashed your car. That said, if you see that your car has been damaged, contact your insurance carrier right away to report the accident. He or she will be able to help you make sure all of the important next steps are followed.
Unfortunately, not all parking lot accidents end with an exchange of insurance information and a handshake. Sometimes, the collision causes an injury. If you are injured, make sure that you contact your medical provider right away for treatment and then, call a personal injury attorney to determine what you need to do next.