Well, it finally happened. My 17-year-old was driving home from school when another teen pulled out from a side street directly in front of him. He couldn’t stop in time and hit the rear quarter panel on the driver’s side of her vehicle. They both pulled over and got out. The other driver immediately apologized. “I am so sorry. I thought I could make it.” They exchanged phone numbers. And then…they left. THEN my son called me.
Did I mention that I am an insurance broker? Did I also mention that we have gone over what to do after an accident MULTIPLE times? And yet, when the pressure was on, my own kid forgot practically everything I had told him. So if you have a teenage driver, please learn from my evening. I told him to stop what he was doing, call the non-emergency number for our local police department and report the accident. Thankfully, he did.
Later that evening, I spoke with the other driver’s father. Let's just say he was…less cooperative than his daughter had been at the scene. He refused to send me their insurance information and essentially told me that because his daughter hadn't received a ticket, they weren't responsible for the accident. Meanwhile, my sweet, somewhat-naive child kept saying: “But Mom, she SAID it was her fault.” Oh, buddy. Welcome to insurance claims.
What someone says standing on the side of the road five minutes after an accident and what they—or someone advising them—may say several hours later can be two very different things. People's memories change, stories change, and details suddenly become fuzzy. That is exactly why you need to gather the information at the scene, instead of assuming everyone will agree later about what happened.
I called the police department, got the report number and obtained the insurance information. Then I filed the claim with the other driver's insurance company. Now we wait. Do I expect the other insurance company to look at the facts and handle the claim appropriately? Yes. Would my life be considerably easier right now if my son had gathered everything he needed while everyone was standing there at the accident scene? Also yes.
Parents of teenage drivers: please go over this with them. Then go over it again.
If they are in an accident, tell them to:
Call the police. Even if the accident seems minor. Get a report or incident number.
Get the other driver's insurance information. Take a picture of the insurance card if possible.
Get a picture of the other driver's license. Often the driver is not the named insured on the policy.
Take LOTS of pictures. Both vehicles, the damage, the roadway, intersections, signs, skid marks, where the vehicles ended up, really anything that may help explain what happened.
Get the other driver's contact information.
Look for independent witnesses. If someone saw the accident, get their name and phone number. If you have a passenger, they may be able to describe what happened, but an independent third-party witness can be much more valuable when the drivers disagree.
Don't argue about fault at the scene. Gather the information and let the claims process sort that out.
Call Mom or Dad BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
Ok, that last one may be specific to my household.
Here's another thing I had to explain to my son: a ticket and insurance liability are not the same thing. A police officer not issuing a citation does not automatically mean that neither driver was responsible. Insurance companies conduct their own investigations using driver statements, vehicle damage, police reports, photos, witnesses and the applicable rules of the road. Would a citation have made this situation a little more straightforward? Probably, but we don't have one. So now I get to experience the claims process from the other side of the desk while I wait with bated breath to see how quickly this gets resolved.
There is one good thing that came out of this: My son will never again wonder why I keep telling him what to do after an accident.
If you have a teenager driving, don't assume they remember either. Sit them down tonight. You could even put a checklist in their glovebox or their phone. Because apparently even when your mother owns an insurance agency, teenagers are still teenagers.