Have you ever been rear-ended and not called the Police

[JanetRose]

If there was no damage to the car, would you still call the police to make out a police report?

Someone at work told me that it's always best as something could go wrong with the car in the future due to the accident.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I've been rear-ended 4 times in my driving career. I never reported any of them. They were just small fender benders

 

[ashjohnson80]

My husband got rear ended by someone he works with, there is damage to the bumper and he still didn't call the police or do anything about it. I would have.

 

[LindaR]

I would call just to have an official report of what happened. Who knows if that other person will later say that your hubby backed into HIM and claim to have health "issues" and sue you!

Think about it!

 

[Acklander]

I've been rear ended with no damage - didn't report it, but didn't see a reason to report it. (besides I figure the police have better things to do than deal with paperwork for a fender bender with no bent fender). I don't know how much help it would do having a police report if damage came up later. What could you say to the insurance company? This guy hit my bumper a couple of months ago and that's why I think it's starting to sag now? I don't think they'd go for it.

 

[poppinspal]

I was stopped coming off an off ramp waiting to get into fast traffic. The guy coming behind me wasn't paying attention and hit me going full speed. (He claimed he thought I'd just kept going.) This was like two years ago, I was 23, with my first car(brand new) and it was my first accident. There was no damage and I was just so lost I didn't get his info or call the cops. I wish I'd at least got his info in case there was damage I didn't notice till I pulled away. But I was lucky and all was fine. (Except my nerves. lol)

 

[AllyandJack]

I was sideswiped. I had no damage, but the goon who did it had lots of damage. I DID call the cops because he got angry and started yelling at me, but he calmed down and the police never came.

I filled out a report just in case (he seemed a bit....unhinged). You don't have to call the cops to fill out a report, I was able to just download the form from the state's registry site.

Nothing ever came of it, but I was happy to get the report filed just in case. The person has 3 years to file a claim....in 3 years there was no way I was going to remember everything, so I wanted it in writing on the record in case the nut came after me later.

 

[KirstenB]

Yes a couple of times. Then I rear-ended somebody, and they were nice enough to let it go too.

 

[momof2inPA]

I was rear-ended and didn't call. There was just a scratch on my bumper, but the other person's car was really dented up but drivable. I didn't want to deal with the hassle, and my car is still running fine 70k miles later.

 

[cgcruz]

when I was younger I rear ended someone. They had no damage to their car, but my car had a little bit of front bumper damage. The person who I bumped into didnt want to get police involved, so I didnt call either. I wont go into detail about how I repaired the bumper. About a year ago someone rear ended my car. My car didnt have any damge at all. Their car had slight scratch on it. I didnt call the cops. Plus, insurance companies are just looking for reasons to raise premiums. Pay it forward, I guess.

 

[lecach]

Someone just ran in to the back of my car last night. Her truck didn't even have a scratch. My car - that I have had for 2 weeks - has a crushed trunk. The girls Mom is an insurance rep and didn't want me to call the cops. I did because DH and I have had bad luck with car accidents before. It was probably useless but my insurance guy said you should always call the cops.

 

[crz4mm2]

Yes. Xmas eve one year. Roads were slick. Stopped at a stop sign. Older woman hit me. Small dent in the back of my van. could barely see it.I wished her merry xmas and went on my way. Wasn't worth the hassle to me.

 

[RachelEllen]

Here in Mass the police won't come out to a minor accident. We called a few months ago when bf got rear ended while stopped in traffic on a highway onramp. The police said they only came out if there were injuries. We did file a report, but, wouldn't you know it, the woman claimed we backed into her. (Backwards down a highway onramp fast enough to cause significant damage!) Her insurance is claiming to believe here and still not paying for bf's car.

 

[DawnCt1]

I was rearended twice, a year and a couple of days apart. I had close to $1000 worth of damage to the back of my car so I definately called the police. What was more damaged however was my neck. Both times that I was rear ended wiped out ski season for that year. Pain isn't always apparent at the time, although mine was both times. DS had a 17 year old girl do some significant damage to our pick up truck. The father promised to take care of it .....until he discovered it was $1500. DS didn't call the police. He should have. Fortunately I was able to file a police report and even more fortunately, have the police actually contact the driver. She admitted causing the damage and their insurance company settled. We were lucky. It could have gone the other way.
DS 28 was rear ended at the Big E one year. The woman had been drinking and BEGGED him not to call the police. He agreed on one condition, that she call her insurance company on the spot and file the claim with him standing there. She did and he spoke to her claims rep. and it was taken care of.

 

[aprilgail2]

Here in Mass the police won't come out to a minor accident. We called a few months ago when bf got rear ended while stopped in traffic on a highway onramp. The police said they only came out if there were injuries. .

They don't come out for small accidents here either, they have more importannt things to deal with than a fender bender. if you call they just tell you to swap info with the other person and call your insurance company. I wouldn't call unless it was over 1,000 in damages, I prefer to pay myself and not have my insurance double over something small. One time I had a rental truck (ryder) and I clipped this bumper of a 20 year old car..I gave the girl 200 on the spot to just forget it happened and went on my way. I am sure it was more than the car was worth but it beats dealing wit hthe insurance company!

 

[Cool-Beans]

Where we live, there are no police to report it to. I suppose we could call the county sheriff and say, "Hey, we had a fender bender!"...but why bother. I got hit once and said, "No problem, have a nice day."

I hit the mailman once. Even he blew it off.

Unless there is big damage, who cares? It's just a car.

 

[kellyg403]

Funny this thread got started! My ds rear ended someone in the parking lot yesterday. There was no damage to either car, ds gave her all his insurance info. She didn't want to call the police at that time. Later, a sheriff showed up at his house and wanted to know why he left the scene of the accident. He ended up getting a hit and run ticket. My other two ds's, 13 and 10 were in the car with him but the sheriff said they weren't old enough to give a statement. Don't know what is going to happen but I kinda thought it was a little crazy. Even the sherrif admitted there was no damage, but the other lady wanted a police report filed. I told ds to call USAA and let them know what is going on! Call me jaded but something just doesn't sit well.

As for the OP's question, yes I have been rear ended and done the rear ending and not called the police if there was no damage. Not sure if it was the smartest thing but felt like the right thing at the time.

Kelly

 

[maslex]

I was rear ended quite a few years ago and never called the police. We both got out of the car and he had some dents in his bumper but mine was fine. BUT I got home and had my hubby look at my car. He looked underneath and I had over $2500 worth of damage on stuff that was under the car. So now I was stuck. CALL THE POLICE no matter what.

 

[we3disneygo]

yes I have been rearended...the guy asked me not to call the police, first I called dh at work and he called the police for us and we got off the road. He tried to tell the police dd didn't have a seat belt on....he didn't even notice my car not moving......come on......i had a scrape and a busted part but the worst of the damage was the back door around the seal started to leak when it rained...........big red was a good car.....

 

[cristit14]

Yes, I got bumped at a stop light once. We just exchanged information in case something came up, but there really was no damage to either car.