What should I do if my parked car is hit and the driver leaves?

Photograph the damage and scene, check for witnesses or CCTV, report the incident to PSNI where appropriate and notify your insurer promptly.

In relation to “What should I do if my parked car is hit and the driver leaves?”, the first few minutes after a road incident are mainly about preventing a second collision, helping anyone injured and preserving accurate details.

For “What should I do if my parked car is hit and the driver leaves?”, prioritise the registration, vehicle description, direction of travel and witnesses. Nearby CCTV can be overwritten quickly, so note cameras and premises while the scene is still fresh.

For “What should I do if my parked car is hit and the driver leaves?”, for Northern Ireland, the key is to use the authority or contract that actually controls this issue. The sources attached to this answer include PSNI - Road Traffic Collision, nidirect - Motor insurance explained, and GOV.UK - Vehicle insurance. Those sources should take priority over forum posts or guidance written for a different jurisdiction, particularly where a deadline, offence, fee, finance right or policy condition is involved.

Practical next step for “What should I do if my parked car is hit and the driver leaves?”: make a short incident note while details are fresh — time, exact location, registrations, people involved, witnesses and photographs or original video. If police, insurer, road authority or recovery operator is involved, keep each reference number with that note.