California is such a popular tourist destination that there are always people on the roads in rental cars. These drivers can have high collision rates, because the drivers are not used to driving the vehicle they’re in and they’re not used to driving on our roads. A recent study also showed that rental car drivers are also more likely to be distracted, more likely to drive poorly, and more likely to become aggressive than drivers of their own vehicles.
If you have been injured in an accident with a rental car driver, there are three main steps to take. Keep reading to learn about them. Then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for your free legal consultation.
- Make Sure Everyone is Safe
- Gather Necessary Information
- Contact the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
First and foremost, make sure that you are not injured and that the other driver and any passengers are safe. If anyone needs immediate medical attention, contact emergency personnel and ensure they are on the way. If there are no injuries or the injuries are minor, move the vehicles off the road and move on to step two.
Talk to the other driver to gather necessary information. Do not admit any fault or discuss the specifics of the way the accident occurred. Anything you say to them can be used against you in the event of a personal injury lawsuit. However, you do want to gather information so that you can get ahold of them and / or their insurance company in the future.
The information you will want to gather will include your name and contact information, the name of their rental car company, their insurance company’s name and their policy number, the license plate number of the rental car, the driver’s ID number, and photos of the accident, including damage and the scene. If there were witnesses, gather contact information for them as well.
In most cases, insurance covers the driver – not their vehicle. As a result, if the other driver is insured then their policy should cover them in a rental care. That said, some people who drive rental cars do not have a car of their own and therefore do not have insurance. In that case, the rental company may have offered them insurance. This would require you to go through the insurance company of the rental company.
This process can get complicated as more and more companies get involved. If you have been injured and / or have experienced a high level of property damage, then we encourage you to contact a personal injury attorney and we can handle the insurance companies for you. Contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 now for a free legal consultation.
