Be Helpful When You Witness Damage to a Parked Car
Always remember that the damaged car you witness could be yours one day. How would you react if you saw damage occurring to a parked car and the perpetrator not leaving a note to explain? Here is a suggested path that keeps the karma by ensuring your good deed for the day and helps the car owner deal with the insurance company.
Steps
- Wait until you are certain that the perpetrator of the damage is not going to stop or leave a note at the scene. Most good souls will own up to their mistake and seek to assist the owner of the damaged car later.
- Write down your own details so that the car owner can contact you later. Explain briefly that you saw the damage happening and that you're willing to help them explain things.
- Leave the note on their windscreen, tucked under the windscreen wiper.
- Write a summary for yourself that details what you saw. Keep this summary in your things so that when the owner contacts you later, you can explain clearly what you saw and give any helpful details such as car registration, make of car/truck/bus, color, time of day etc. Also remember to note the make of the damaged car and its registration details. Keeping all these details will be very important if the owner asks you to bear witness in any capacity.
- Wait for a call or e-mail. Most people will be delighted to know that someone cared enough to help them out and prevent them from having to shoulder the blame for the incident.
Tips
- There is no need for you to give out address or last name details until later. Your note should only include a phone number or e-mail address at this stage and your first name or some identifier that you are comfortable with. Anyone could pick up that note still, so be sure to guard your privacy.
- If you are really concerned not to become involved but you want the person to know what happened, take an extra few minutes to detail what you saw and leave that and any helpful information that might help and leave that there as the least possible help you can give.
Things You'll Need
- Notebook
- Pen
- Good recollection of incident
