What to Do When Your Car Scrapes Against a Guardrail?

[VanAriana]

In this situation, you need to wait for the insurance company personnel to arrive at the scene and file a claim with the insurance adjuster. The following scenarios will be considered as hit-and-run: 1. Deliberate Act: The party involved in the accident knowingly drives away or abandons the vehicle and flees the scene after the accident occurs. 2. Self-Judgment: The party involved believes they are not at fault and drives away from the scene. 3. Abandon and Return: The party involved is suspected of driving under the influence or without a license, and after reporting the incident, fails to stay at the scene to await handling, abandons the vehicle, and later returns.

[LylaLee]

When I first got my driver's license, I also scraped against a guardrail and was so panicked that my hands and feet turned icy cold. But if you really encounter such a situation, the first thing is to stabilize your emotions, immediately turn on the hazard lights, and slowly pull over. Remember to stop in a safe area without obstructing traffic, put on a reflective vest before getting out of the car, and place a warning triangle 50 meters behind the vehicle. Carefully assess the extent of the damage to your car. If it's just a paint scratch or a bent wheel arch, you might still be able to drive it to the repair shop. If the guardrail is knocked askew, you must call 122 to report to the traffic police for an accident report, otherwise, it could be considered a hit-and-run. Take out your phone and take photos of the scene from multiple angles, focusing on the collision point and the guardrail number. Finally, call your insurance company to report the incident—they'll guide you on how to handle the claim materials. You can either have it towed or drive it to a 4S shop, but never hastily tape up the damage with adhesive tape, as that will accelerate rust spread.

[GavinDella]

Last week, I scraped against the guardrail on a highway ramp and immediately took three actions: safely parked to inspect the damage, set up on-site protection, and contacted the relevant authorities. Guardrails are considered road property, and even a small scratch on the paint requires reporting—I’ve personally encountered cases where failure to report led to accountability issues with road authorities. When checking the vehicle’s condition, pay special attention to the chassis suspension and wheel alignment, as impacts with guardrails can easily damage the steering system. For minor surface scratches under ¥200, polishing wax can suffice, but deeper scratches exposing the primer require a touch-up pen to seal off the exposed area. When filing an insurance claim, provide specific details about the accident’s time and location, and confirm whether a traffic police liability report is needed. Finally, I recommend going directly to a certified repair shop, as they typically handle the entire process of dealing with road authority compensation.

[MacJanelle]

After scraping the guardrail, don't rush to move the car. First, check for oncoming traffic from behind. If it's just wheel rim scratches or minor bumper dents, I've tried pouring hot water to make plastic parts rebound. For exposed metal areas, immediately use clear nail polish as a temporary rust prevention. A $20 body filler kit from hardware stores can handle small dents. Remember to wear gloves throughout - broken guardrail edges may have metal burrs. When visiting the dealership, bring on-site photos and police reports as they can claim road property damage through compulsory traffic insurance. Most importantly, pay more attention to blind spots in mirrors next time, and avoid getting too close to guardrail lines during high-speed turns.