How to Deal with an Uncooperative At-Fault Driver

Do you ever watch “Parks and Rec.” and think to yourself, April Ludgate is my spirit animal?

Like the character, you can only withstand so much human interaction before you decide that communication is totally overrated. But if you haven’t experienced this before now, you probably will after you’ve had to deal with the immature jack weed who hit your car and refuses to take any responsibility for the accident.

Here are some ways to deal with the incompetence of the other driver and get your life back on track.

What to Do When You’ve Been in an Accident

Unfortunately, not everyone takes responsibility when they’ve done something wrong. It’s like the 3-year-old who blames their imaginary friend for having clogged the toilet with Legos; you know they did it, it’s just a matter of them admitting to it.

You would hope adults would be different, but that isn’t always the case. What makes things worse is when you have to deal with this type of person after a car accident. Even if they swear up and down that they have auto liability insurance coverage, you won’t know that they can make financial reparations for the accident until they make a claim with their carrier. What can you do if the person who hit you on the road drags their feet in getting the insurance process going?

Call the Police: After you have both moved your vehicles to the side of the road, call the police to report the accident and to get an officer on the scene.

Get the other driver’s license plate number: Write down or take a picture of the other vehicle’s license plate number.

Get the make, model, and year of the vehicle: Take notes of the general description of the car, including the damages it sustained in the accident.

Get the other driver’s name: Ask the other driver for his name or business card. Make sure you get it written down.

Get the name of the other driver’s insurance carrier: Ask the other driver for the name of their insurance carrier. Remember, they don’t have to show you their insurance card, but they will have to show it to the responding officer on the scene.

Get a description of the accident: Take pictures of the damage sustained to both of your vehicles, and write down or record on your phone the details of the accident while they are still fresh in your mind. If there are witnesses at the scene, ask them for their names and phone numbers should the other driver dispute your claims later.

When the Other Driver Won’t Accept Responsibility

Make sure not to lose your cool if the other driver responds negatively to your questions. Because you don’t know the personality of the other driver, you won’t want to induce anger. According to The Washington Post, in 2013, (the most current available data) almost 250 fatal auto collisions were a result of road rage. Your safety comes first, and if the other driver is responding to you in a confrontational matter, there is no need to escalate the situation. Just wait on the side of the road until the responding officer comes to the scene.

After the accident has been reported and you have exchanged information, contact your and the other driver’s insurance carrier, you will want to make sure the other driver has filed a claim. If the at-fault driver has not made a claim, their insurance agency has the right to deny your claim, leaving you responsible for covering the bill.

To combat this, let your insurance agency know that the other company is refusing to pay out the claim. Your company will contact the at-fault driver’s to make sure they pay up, regardless of whether their client filed a claim or not. If they are still refusing, bring forward your evidence to prove the other driver was at fault.

It can be very frustrating when people don’t own up to their mistakes, especially when money is involved. By following the steps above, you will be taking care of yourself and getting the payout you deserve.