-Updated 8/16/2022
Rear-end collisions are the most common car accident in the United States. In fact, a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that roughly 29% of all car accidents are rear-end collisions. The Washington Post also reports that there are around 1.7 million rear-end collisions per year in the US. They can happen in poor weather, when someone jams on the breaks to avoid hitting a pedestrian, when smartphone texting is involved and in so many other situations. The severity of the accident will largely depend on the speed and position of each vehicle; in some cases, physical damage to the car and drivers may not be present. If you get rear-ended or rear-end someone, do not panic. Here is what to do if you get rear-ended.
Whether you were rear-ended or you did the rear-ending, your first step should be to assess yourself and your passengers for injuries and call for help if you need it. Then, you should contact the police to report the accident. Next, rely on these tips to get through the immediate aftermath of the crash and protect yourself in the longer term.
What to Do If You Rear-End Someone
Here are the immediate steps you should take in the event you rear-end another vehicle:
- Do not leave the scene of the accident
- Check for injuries
- Call the police and report the accident
- Take pictures of the scene to document the damage
- Contact your car insurance company
Even the most careful drivers get into accidents. Do not drive away from the scene, no matter how scared you may be or how little damage you think was caused.
If you rear-end someone, you should take pictures of the accident site to document damage to your car and the other vehicle. It’s important to note that even if it seems like there’s no damage, it’s necessary to still take pictures. When evaluating the damage be sure to look and take pictures beyond the bumper because damage may be present elsewhere. Tell the police what happened, and be honest. While it may be tempting to make excuses or leave out some details, these inconsistencies can come to light later and impact your liability for the accident. Explain exactly what occurred.
Make sure you swap insurance information with the person you hit. Then, contact your insurance company as soon as possible to report the accident and get the process of paying for damages to the other driver started, if necessary.
Throughout all this, do not ever admit to fault in the accident, either to the police or the driver of the other car. While in most cases, the driver of the rear vehicle is at fault, you don’t know all the circumstances yet. So, do not admit it is your fault while the investigation of the accident is ongoing.
What to Do If You Rear-End Someone With No Damage
If you were driving slowly at the time of the accident, it might appear the other driver did not suffer any damage. While that might seem like a case where you should not report the accident, sometimes you can’t see the damage. So, you should still exchange information with the other driver- even if there’s no damage.
For example, you might not be able to view damages such as:
- Leaks to radiator or oil pan
- Knocking alignment out of whack
- Short-circuiting the battery
What to Do If You Get Rear-Ended
If you were rear-ended, you should take all the same steps as you would if you rear-ended someone, including calling your insurance company as soon as possible. Remember, again, that even if it looks like there’s no damage, there could still be problems. Gather as much evidence as you can to prove your version of events, including pictures and statements from witnesses.
Do you still have questions about what to do if you are rear-ended or rear-end someone? Talk to Strock Insurance. Contact us by calling our offices in Harrisburg, Lebanon or Camp Hill, or get in touch with us online. You can also get a free quote on our auto insurance.
