What to Do If Your Car Gets Scratched on the Side of the Road?
2 Answers
If your car gets scratched in a shopping mall or other paid parking lot, you can contact the relevant administrator and request them to review the surveillance footage. If your car gets scratched while parked in a residential area, you can approach the property management for an investigation. Generally, the property management will cooperate in retrieving the video footage. You can also use the footage from your dashcam to find relevant and useful information to provide to the traffic police. If you discover that your car has been scratched and the other party refuses to admit fault or accept responsibility for compensation after communication, there is no need to continue talking with them. Simply call the police directly.
My car often gets scratched when parked on the roadside, and this has happened several times. Let me share some handling experience. First, ensure safety—stop and check for any immediate dangers, then examine the depth of the scratch. If it's just a minor paint issue, take multiple photos from different angles, including the surroundings and parking space markings, for future reference. Next, look for nearby surveillance cameras or witnesses, and ask security guards or passersby if they saw anything. Contacting your insurance company is crucial—send them the photos with clear details of the time and location, and they'll arrange an inspection or guide you through the claims process. If the situation is serious or there are clues about the culprit, call the traffic police directly to report it—avoid private settlements to prevent losses. After handling, get repairs done promptly. I usually go to a 4S shop or professional paint shop for touch-ups, which cost a few hundred to a thousand yuan, mostly covered by insurance. When parking, choose well-lit spots over corners, and place a temporary contact number for easy communication to reduce the risk of scratches.
