You hit a parked vehicle and can't find the owner. What must you do?
- Call your insurance company when you get home.
- Wait for the owner to return.
- Leave a note with your name and address on the parked vehicle. ✓
Answer: C. Leave a note with your name and address on the parked vehicle.
Leave a note with your name and address on the parked vehicle so the owner can reach you.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says that when your vehicle hits or rolls into a parked car or other property, you should try to find the owner. If you cannot find them, it tells you to leave a note with your name, phone number, and address, attach it securely to the vehicle or property, and report the collision to law enforcement. A note the owner can actually find is what keeps the situation from turning into a hit-and-run, which the handbook describes as a serious offense.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Call your insurance company when you get home. — Calling your insurance company later does nothing to let the owner of the parked car know who damaged it, and the handbook directs you to leave your information on the vehicle itself.
- B. Wait for the owner to return. — The handbook does not tell you to wait around for the owner; it says to leave a note with your details when the owner cannot be found.
Remember it
If the owner isn't there, your note stands in for you: name, phone number, and address, fastened to the car, then report it.