What to Do If You Accidentally Scratch Someone Else's Car Door When Opening Yours?
2 Answers
Here are the solutions for accidentally scratching someone else's car door when opening yours: 1. Never flee the scene: As long as you don't run away, there's no need to fear the victim's threats. Pull over to the side of the road and turn on your hazard lights. 2. Call the traffic accident hotline immediately: The traffic police will be notified to handle the situation, and then you can report it to your insurance company. Regardless of who is at fault, always remember to call your insurance company. An insurance adjuster will come to verify both parties' information and assess the damage. The other party cannot bypass the insurance company's procedures. However, if the other party threatens to accuse you of leaving the scene, you can refer them to the insurance company. Insurance companies are better equipped to handle such matters and can resolve them quickly. 3. Do not tamper with the accident scene: Damaging the accident scene will make you liable. If the scene is altered, the police cannot properly collect evidence and will have to infer liability based on the direction of travel, collision trajectory, and impact area. There's no need to argue over which party is at fault.
That day, I had just stepped out of the supermarket when I heard a loud 'clunk'—my heart sank. The corner of my car door had scraped three white marks on the neighboring white car. I quickly rummaged through my phone for a sticky note but only found a shopping receipt. I wrote down the car model, color, and 'Contact 138xxxx to apologize and compensate,' then slipped it under the windshield wiper. I also took a photo of the scene showing the positions of both cars. On my way home, the car owner added me on WeChat. Seeing that I, a young girl, was sincere in my apology, they settled for 200 yuan for the touch-up paint. Next time, I’ll remember to open the car door carefully in tight parking spots—pressing the edge with my palm and pushing it slowly to avoid swinging it out and damaging someone else’s paint.
