Surely, you’ll agree with me that accidents can happen anywhere and at any time. There are several different ways that one can experience an accident. For instance, you can find yourself trying to reverse your vehicle in a shopping mall’s car park and accidentally scratched a nearby parked vehicle.
Having gone through various social media platforms and forums, I found a few people talking about how they scratched a parked vehicle without knowing. That said, here’s a burning question; is it even possible to scratch a car without noticing?
It’s very possible to scratch a car without notice, but this rarely happens. An example is when you’re driving a big truck and listening to music. In this case, there’s a high chance you’ll not notice that you scratched a car. You can also scratch a car unknowingly when you drive in the night through crowded & noisy roads.
In the rest of this post, I’ll further discuss some of the things you need to know about car scratches as a result of accidents. So, without further ado, let’s get straight down to business.
Would You Know if You Scraped a Car?
To answer this question, I’ll say that it depends on a couple of factors, such as where and when you’re driving, and the type of vehicle you’re driving. That’s not all; it also depends on how many scratches the other car had.
Are the damages significant?
If the scratches are significant, the thing is, there’s no way you wouldn’t be aware that you accidentally scraped the car.
Furthermore, let’s assume you’re trying to reverse your car during the day and mistakenly scratched a parked car. There’s, no doubt, you’ll certainly see, hear, or feel that something is wrong. Let’s say the accident happened when you were listening to music, there’s still a high chance that you’d know that something went wrong.
What type of vehicle are you driving?
As earlier mentioned, the type of vehicle you’re driving is another factor that can determine whether or not you’ll be aware of scratching another vehicle.
For instance, let’s say you’re driving a big truck and listening to music at the same time. In this case, there’s a high chance that you may not be aware that you scratched a car. Depending on your location, if you get charged, for this reason, getting a good lawyer will help you out.
When and where did the incident happen?
Another factor that will determine whether or not you’ll be aware of scratching another car is the time and place the incident occurred.
For instance, let’s say you’re driving at night in a very crowded and noisy street and you accidentally scratched a car. You need to understand that there’s a possibility that you may not be aware of causing damages to the parked vehicle.
That said, the bottom line is, it’s pretty much possible for you to scratch a parked vehicle and not know you did it.
Would You Feel It If You Scratched a Car?
To answer this burning question, I’ll say that it depends on some factors. As earlier mentioned, you’ll most likely feel it if the scratch is significant and you’re driving a car during the day. However, if it’s a minor scratch, your chances of figuring it out are slim.
Again, one of the few factors that will determine whether or not you’ll feel it when you scratch a car is – “what you’re doing when the incident occurred.” That’s not all; it also has a lot to do with the “type of car you’re driving,” “your location,” and the “time the accident happened.”
With a large pickup truck, as earlier mentioned, you will most likely not feel it that you scratched a car – this is especially true when you’re listening to music at the time. Furthermore, you may not feel a thing when you accidentally scratch a car in the night, most especially in a crowded and noisy street.
What Happens If You Scratch a Car and Leave?
Here’s another question, what exactly will happen if you scratch a car and leave knowingly or unknowingly?
To answer the question; I’ll say what will happen next will depend on a couple of factors, such as:
- Did you leave the crime scene intentionally?
- Is the owner of the scratched vehicle interested in pressing charges?
- Did you leave the scene because you weren’t aware of the incident?
- How severe is the damage done to the car?
Did you leave the crime scene intentionally?
One thing is to accidentally scratch a parked vehicle, another thing is to be aware and flee away from the crime scene. If this is what really happened, that is – you left the car and drove away after scratching it, you may be charged for a felony. Of course, this will certainly depend on your the rules and regulation in your state.
First, you need to understand that hitting or scratching a car and leaving the crime scene is a hit-and-run offense. In Florida, for instance, a hit-and-run accident that involves scratching and damaging people’s property is a second-degree misdemeanor.
If the owner of the damaged vehicle decides to press charges, you will most like be charged for hit-and-run.
So, to avoid unnecessary drama, I’ll advise you to drop a not for the owner of the damaged car immediately after the incident. Inside the note, ensure you drop your name, contact, and possibly your insurance company’s name.
Did you leave the scene because you weren’t aware of the incident?
In the case where you left the incident scene unaware, two things might happen: you may find police in front of your door if the owner pressed charges. In this case, all you need to do is let them know that you have no idea when the incident happened. You might also need to get a good lawyer if the charges go any further.