Someone scratched kids car and I know they won’t pay

[Anonymous]

Kid stopped at light. Car behind them tried to move into next lane and hit my kids car.
Turns out the person is young and on a provisional license (no adult with him), did not have plates in their car and has expired insurance card.
My kid is young too and although they took photos of kids license car and insurance, they were shook up and missed all these details. Cops not called as damage is minor but it will cost $800 to repair.
Looked up kids address and house is tiny in a much lower income part of the county.
I will send the estimate to them but not holding my breath. My kid is nervous because the other driver has our info too and fears retaliation due to these details. My kid smelled pot but didn’t know if driver was under influence. So now what? We can afford repair but it infuriates me that we have to eat this cost and the other driver has broken 3 laws. We don’t want them to get in trouble but don’t want them to get away with it if that makes sense. Would hate to call the cops on them because maybe they will retaliate.
We have dash cam but I haven’t had a chance to pull the video yet.
What would you do?

[Anonymous]

Call your insurance company and let them deal with it. No plates on the car? Your child took a picture of the drivers license and expired card. What else could he have done?

[Anonymous]

Its just a cosmetic scratch on an old car you let your kid drive? Don't bother getting it fixed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Kid stopped at light. Car behind them tried to move into next lane and hit my kids car.
Turns out the person is young and on a provisional license (no adult with him), did not have plates in their car and has expired insurance card.
My kid is young too and although they took photos of kids license car and insurance, they were shook up and missed all these details. Cops not called as damage is minor but it will cost $800 to repair.
Looked up kids address and house is tiny in a much lower income part of the county.
I will send the estimate to them but not holding my breath. My kid is nervous because the other driver has our info too and fears retaliation due to these details. My kid smelled pot but didn’t know if driver was under influence. So now what? We can afford repair but it infuriates me that we have to eat this cost and the other driver has broken 3 laws. We don’t want them to get in trouble but don’t want them to get away with it if that makes sense. Would hate to call the cops on them because maybe they will retaliate.
We have dash cam but I haven’t had a chance to pull the video yet.
What would you do?

Nobody is going to retaliate. Pull the dash cam video, call the cops and have them deal with it. I wouldn't mention pot because there is no way to prove that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its just a cosmetic scratch on an old car you let your kid drive? Don't bother getting it fixed.

This. This will not be the last one.

Let it go, let it go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Kid stopped at light. Car behind them tried to move into next lane and hit my kids car.
Turns out the person is young and on a provisional license (no adult with him), did not have plates in their car and has expired insurance card.
My kid is young too and although they took photos of kids license car and insurance, they were shook up and missed all these details. Cops not called as damage is minor but it will cost $800 to repair.
Looked up kids address and house is tiny in a much lower income part of the county.
I will send the estimate to them but not holding my breath. My kid is nervous because the other driver has our info too and fears retaliation due to these details. My kid smelled pot but didn’t know if driver was under influence. So now what? We can afford repair but it infuriates me that we have to eat this cost and the other driver has broken 3 laws. We don’t want them to get in trouble but don’t want them to get away with it if that makes sense. Would hate to call the cops on them because maybe they will retaliate.
We have dash cam but I haven’t had a chance to pull the video yet.
What would you do?

Nobody is going to retaliate. Pull the dash cam video, call the cops and have them deal with it. I wouldn't mention pot because there is no way to prove that.

Deal with what? This is a minor traffic violation. This is an insurance issue at this point.

[Anonymous]

Just put it through insurance and let them deal with it. Sounds like your kid did everything right in the situation and whatever happens now is not their fault.

[Anonymous]

My kid would be driving a car that is for scratching. I would tell my kid not to bother me with his damn car about scratches.
I learned long ago not to have a too nice of a car and not to fix scratches or worry about a pumper.
Same with moving- 'free crap'. Some thing are not worth time and energy. Tell your kid not to feel bad about this small thing. Again, not worth it. Now they think about retaliation.
Forget about the car. Undo the damage to your kid.

[Anonymous]

OK - so now we can drive without insurance? or it only applies to people with something to lose.

people really suck.

[Anonymous]

You should have called the cops. Driving with out an adult in the car is a felony on the parents. You missed out on some $$

[Anonymous]

Wait you cannot afford $800 in repairs...yet you can afford a car and insurance for you child to drive? Something is not adding up.

[Anonymous]

You should have called the police.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Her car is older but very well maintained. It’s more than a surface scratch, it’s quite noticeable with a slight dent but a lot of paint scraped off.
If I call my insurance then my insurance pays for it and then rates will go up even though it wasn’t my kids fault. They will go up. And this kid gets off scot free. I loooked at dash cam and it is very clear he is a brand new driver and will probably hurt someone. Why would his parents let him drive with a learner permit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should have called the police.

Yes, this. Teach your kid to call the police and have them make a report. This is kind of on him too.

Also, some things are just not worth agonizing about. Either fix it or let it go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait you cannot afford $800 in repairs...yet you can afford a car and insurance for you child to drive? Something is not adding up.

We can afford to repair the car but why should we? Not our fault. The other driver for sure won’t have that kind of money