Get those details … even in minor accidents
As a traffic reporter I see them every day, especially this time of year. I am talking about those minor “fender benders” as they are often referred to. But even if there is no visible damage to warrant a call to police or a visit to a collision reporting centre, one should not assume that all is well.
One day I was sitting in my car at a traffic light when…wham…I was hit from behind. The driver got out of her car and came up to my window. She was obviously shaken and was apologizing profusely. We pulled over so I could assess the damage.
After looking at what appeared to be a few minor scrapes and scratches on my bumper, the driver offered to pay out of pocket for the repairs. I declined. I told her the damage was minimal and not to worry, stating that my car had obviously seen better days and a few more scratches would simply add to the character.
We hugged each other, wished each other well and that was the end of it … or so I thought.
Later that day, as my neck began to stiffen, I thought that maybe I had been a bit too
hasty in thinking all was well. Then I went to open the rear door of my van. It was jammed. I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally got it open, only to discover that I couldn’t close it.
According to my mechanic, the SUV that hit me was bigger than my van, had ridden over my bumper and had hit my rear door. “Did you get her name and number?” he asked. “No,” I replied sheepishly. “How about her license plate number then?” “No.” I said. He looked at me in disbelief and said “It’s okay to be nice, just don’t be too nice”
Point taken. In any traffic altercation, no matter how minor, always make sure you get some sort of contact information because all may seem fine, but you never know.