Fender Bender - WWYD?

Yes. A cracked bumper is usually indicative of more damage. I got rear ended, no damage to the bumper but I had a lot of damage underneath because the push rearranged a lot under the car (the exhaust). Since he did not have proof of insurance, file a report or you will be out of luck. Also, make sure you call your insurance company and tell them what happened.

A cracked bumper won't be cheap to repair. They generally have to replace the whole thing - ours was ~$1200.

Your neck is likely to feel worse tomorrow. Those soft tissue injuries can be troublesome.

I'd report it for sure, your insurance will probably want you to and even if you're not going to make a claim, the police should know about this yahoo. Have you tried the phone number? I doubt it's legit.

Yes file a report and description of all you remember

Yes. Definitely file a police report. I'd be interested to see if the number he gave you was legit - betting it's not.

I agree w/the others. File a report w/the police plus contact your insurance agent. Unfortunately I don't think the "no license w/me", "no registration with me" will work in your favor. It's very likely the phone # & name are bogus, too.

I would file a report now and medically be checked. As another said what looks like nothing on the car may be a large fix up cost.

That said this morning I didn't have my license or insurance on me (which I believe is illegal). We renewed our policy this week and I haven't put the new card in my car and ran out child to an activity without my wallet which has my license. I wouldn't immediately panic about him not having the paperwork if he seemed legit.

Yes, you should have called the police right there and then. Now it's your word against his. Don't be surprised if he doesn't have insurance and a license or that you got a real name and phone number. Hopefully, the vehicle doesn't have a stolen plate. 

You should also report it to your insurance company in case you have sustained an injury you are not aware of now. 

This is has happened to me twice on the same exit ramp with a stop sign on my way to work. Much to the annoyance of the driver who hit me, they had to wait for the police. Oh, and because it was on the ramp, we had to wait for state police. Now, I put my flashers on if someone is behind me on the exit in an effort to get their attention. If I had been pushed into oncoming traffic, it could have been far worse.

Hope you are ok and that your car will be fixed at the expense of the driver who hit you. I know the feeling and how your body freezes on impact then you feel like a bowl of jello - it really shakes you up.

Yes, file a report. If you don't the chances of you recovering anything are slim to none.

I wouldn't have let him leave, claiming no license or insurance info available. The police should have handled it at that point.

I was hit a few years ago when my car was brand new. A young man starting backing up without bothering to look and I had no place to go. He dented in my bumper, not a lot, bit noticeable and my car was 4 months old so I was having none of that on it. I did not call the police, I did get his insurance card, phone number and name. I was less than a mile from home and as soon as I got here I contacted my insurance company. They were awesome and did not tell me to file a police report but would get everything rolling. I have USAA and they are a very reputable company so I trust them. They contacted his insurance and tried to call him and he would never return their calls. After a short while, really very short, his insurance company covered the bill. I hope the same for you, you just never know.

And as for the poster who said they should at leafs have their registration in the glove box, well I never do and it isn't recommended because if someone breaks in or steals your vehicle, they now have access to your home information. I keep mine in my wallet with my id and proof of insurance and can count on one hand how many times i have forgotten it. I am convinced that if I ran to the store less than a mile away that this will be when I am pulled over and no ids - yikes.

Make sure you contact your insurance company as soon as possible and have them advise you.

I'm sorry this happened to you. When you're in shock from being hit, and you're a nice person, all your senses aren't about you. I hope it works out well for you.

I always call the police when I am in an accident. Once when I was young and stupid I didn't; I was waiting to pull out of a convenience store and a car backing out of a space hit and than ran down the whole side of my car. When the insurance company called for my statement they said the other guy said I was pulling in and hit him. Thankfully there were witnesses, but now I always call. I would call the number to see if it was valid. He could be telling you the truth, but I wouldn't count on it.

As for the OP, I'd just let it go and eat any costs that arise. Whould, shoulda coulda....






I’m going to stick up for the OP here and tell everyone to back off with the what you should have done. I’m sure she’s well aware of it.

Earlier this year, I was stopped at a traffic light with 2 cars ahead of me. For some reason the driver in front of me put his car in reverse and backed into me. I was with my dad and there was no visible damage. My dad even crawled under the car. I trust my dads judgement as he is very mechanically inclined.

The driver did not have a license and he did not speak English. I was furious. I took pictures of the license plate and the driver and passenger. I’m sure he didn’t have insurance or his license.

Honestly, this was the last worry in my life on that particular day. We were on the way to pickup my dog from the vet that was closing in a few minutes. Long story short, at the time my dog was dying and she had just finished a procedure to help prolong her life. On this day, I really didn’t give a crap about my car or how much it would cost to fix it if something came up in the future.

Yeah, I should have called the cops. Yeah, I should have filed a police report. In reality, I just wanted my dog in my possession and really didn’t give two shits about my car. If it needed to be fixed, any cost wouldn't have been an issue so as pissed as I was, I choose my dog rather than my car.