Title: Navigating the Aftermath of an Unexpected Driveway Collision: A Personal Experience
It’s every homeowner’s worst nightmare: an accident happening right in your own driveway. Recently, I found myself grappling with such a situation, and I wanted to share my experience for anyone facing similar challenges.
As a single individual who is engaged and living with my significant other and her son, I never expected to deal with a crash involving two parked cars right outside my home. One sunny afternoon, my 2017 Ford Expedition was securely parked in its spot, while my fiancé’s 20-year-old son was maneuvering his 1974 Ford F100, a work-in-progress “project truck” that is both licensed and insured.
After parking his truck upslope from mine, he exited the vehicle and, unfortunately, when he closed the door, it jolted the truck out of park. To my dismay, it began rolling backward and collided with the corner of my Expedition.
Witnessing the event unfold in real-time was unnerving. Fortunately, we have video footage confirming that he was just stepping out of the truck when the accident occurred. The damage is substantial; my vehicle suffered a flat tire, a damaged bumper, and possibly more serious issues involving the suspension and aftermarket wheels. To put a price on the damage, my Expedition, valued between $12,000 to $14,000, is now looking at repair costs that will likely exceed my $1,000 deductible, thanks to my Broadening Collision coverage.
As I sit here contemplating the aftermath, a few questions loom large in my mind: Who is at fault in this situation? Technically, he was out of the vehicle when the collision occurred, but should liability shift to him for that moment? Alternatively, could this be classified under homeowners’ insurance due to the act of the truck rolling away?
We reside in Wayne County, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, and I’m weighing the potential ramifications of filing a claim. My partner and I previously faced a costly ice dam claim about five years ago, which makes me hesitant to burden our homeowners’ policy. Moreover, if this impacts the son’s insurance, it would mark his third at-fault accident since obtaining his license and his second this year.
While fixing the Expedition to make it safe and roadworthy is a possibility, I fear that anything less than professional repairs will degrade its status from a “nice vehicle” to merely a “good beater.” It’s especially
