Costco

I was taking my brother to pick up his car from the rental car place and was stopped at a stoplight. The light turned green but the idiot in the front didn't budge and got honked at a couple times by the car in front of me. Right when I was about to get in gear and the car in front of me inched forward, the car jerked forward and instantly I knew I got hit rear ended. We then turned left and pulled over.

Took a look at both cars, no damage in the collision areas. She was driving an SUV (how typical) and there were no marks or anything on her bumper. My car has been unwashed for a while, so the only thing that happened was there was a dust imprint of her bumper on my bumper.

We exchanged insurance information... I was being an idiot and wrote down my insurance information and gave it to her (she asked for it). After getting yelled at by my dad a couple of minutes ago, now I know to never do it again. I wasn't at fault at all - but there were no witnesses. The two cars in front took off and the collision was so light that it made a really mild sound. Either that or whoever saw it was being a prick and didn't come over to help.

When my dad yelled at me he told me I shouldn't have given her my insurance info. She could now try to make up some BS about another dent in her car or a current medical condition she has and try to say the accident caused it. Would she have any merit if she tries to pull something? The only thing we've got on her is that she said "I'm so sorry, the light was green, and I saw everyone else going."

I'm gonna call my insurance agent tomorrow to tell him what happened, as a precaution so that she doesn't try to pull some BS. There's pretty much no damage at all, but it was dark, so maybe a tiny crack or something. Just in case something comes up in the future... I'm not gonna pay for someone else's inattentiveness.

It's not really a big deal, but I don't wanna go through jury and all that other crap and avoid it if all possible. I'm not gonna file any charges or anything, but next time someone rear ends me I'm not gonna give them crap. I never got in an accident before and I don't want to hike up my insurance rate because of this.... especially since I pay for it.

"I'm so sorry, the light was green, and I saw everyone else going." Sometimes I wonder how people get their driver's licenses.

alex2364

You should have called the police to get a incident report. Now it will be your words against hers. There probably is damage but very minor because I have been in a similar situation. I got bumped from behind and her license plate made a imprint on my bumper.

Socol

Yes, always, always, always call the police if you get into an accident. Too many shady bastard driving around these days.

tsxGoldenBear

Most of the time you don't need to call a cop for a fender bender like that. Either way you have nothing to worry about. In california, if someone rear ends you they are at fault, no matter what, b/c as a safe driver your supposed to be able to leave enough distance to stop in time. My dad got in an accident where the guy in front of him stopped short and he rear ended him, but he was still at fault.

As for the insurance, you're required by law to exchange insurance information. This does not constitute to admitting guilt, but is required. So if your dad gives you anymore crap about it you can just point him to the california drivers handbook. You should call your insurance and give them your report and your side of the story so its at least recorded.

for more info check on what to do in an accident, check out:
http://calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/ca...=10581&id=2174

EuRTSX

Most of the time, every time an idiot hits my car, and I call the cops, they tell me that theres nothing that they can really do, so that we should just take "their" information down. Remember. If it's not your fault, you get THEIR information.

CLpower

you are the one that got rearended, you've got nothing to worry about. I'd call and report it to your insurance company just so they have a record of it.


Calling the police to take a report in a instance like this is a waste of their time imO. All he would do anyways is make sure you guys have each others information.

mclarenf3387

I tapped a womans bumper once (totally my fault) and the cops came and wrote up a report.
Bitch tried to sue my insurance for 20k a year and a half later for "personal injury" but my insurance told them to get lost as there was no damage in the accident.

CLpower

Maybe they do it differently out there You're told out here not to involve them in minor collisions.


Another thing to remember is, I keep a disposable camera in my car at all times in case of an accident.

csmeance

Make sure that it is one of those cheapy ones that have the negatives in them, not the digi ones because the digi ones don't hold up in court. Also always call the police.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

She hit you... so she's at fault. I also agree that you should just call the insurance company to record the incident. And even though the cops would likely not respond since it was so minor, you can at least call them so you have proof there as well. But the fact that you didn't should be irrelevant... since she hit you... so you should be OK.

S14 n Tsx

You cant do police report unless the damage was near $800+. correct me if im wrong?

Street Spirit

Wow, it's been a while for many people, thanks to the digi-age. ....It's called film.

kipwa007

You should take your ride in to get looked at. Just to be safe, you never know what kind of damage might have been done.

Also, it's necessary to exchange information no matter what. You need a drivers license #, insurance card an license plate #.

I was in an accident once and took everything down except for the license plate. The driver later submitted a different car to his insurance company, one with more extensive damage to the same area. It sucked and there was nothing I could do about it.

Socol

And that’s why I write down the VIN # my friend; rather be safe then sorry.

CLpower

your wrong, you can ALWAYS do a report (most of the time it's worthless thoug). You must report to the DMV if it's above I believe $600 in damag

SRK85

I had a few rear enders in my past never any real damage no dents or anything so I never got the insurance information from the other drivers no point if there is no real damage.

AMGala

iTrader: (4)

What, is she going to say that you backed up into her? I think everything will work out fine.

Costco

Thanks a lot guys, I worried a lot less and decided to call my insurance to tell them what happened just in case because of you guys. Everything is fine for now.

Shoofin

100%

Crazy Bimmer

Well question, say you dont call the cops and later she says that he backed up into her.

How can you prove whos fault it was without a police report?

lilrabbit129

As mentioned before, in might depend on your state but I know here ( Cali ) in that situation, the person who rear-ended is always at fault.

Crazy Bimmer

Yes but how do you prove that without a police report.

lilrabbit129

Do you mean how do you prove who rear-ended who? Well I would guess based on the damage. If there's no damage then that would make it more difficult. At the same time if there's no damage, there' snot much to conflict about.

PortlandRL

Tell me about it. Awhile back my friend turned in front of and was hit by a Toyota Tercel. It was clearly his fault; he won't deny it and neither will I. But now, almost two years after the fact, the woman is just now suing my friend for $150,000 claiming that the accident has injured her back, causing her to miss work. Turns out she has cleaned houses for a living for a long time and is grossly overweight and she missed a lot of work anyway. So his attorney is trying to get the case thrown out because clearly the accident didn't cause her back pains. I don't think she has a chance, especially considering the fact she didn't come forward immediately after the accident.