How Much Car Damage Warrants a Call to the Police in Maine?

We’ve all been there, right? One moment you’re driving along minding you're own business scream-singing Sabrina Carpenter, and the next, you find yourself in a fender bender.

Whether it’s a minor scrape or a more significant crash, dealing with car accidents are super stressful and confusing.

There is one popular question that comes up.

When should you call the police?

First things first, take a deep breath and make sure you and the person in the other vehicle are physically okay. Then, check out the damage.

I remember getting rear-ended once, and my car showed no signs of the collision at all. But the other vehicle? That was a different story. It’s funny how things like that work out, isn’t it?

But it definitely was stressful. Due to that stress of just having been in an accident, you might forget when it’s necessary to call the police.

How do you know when to call the police?

So here, in our great state of Maine, you are required to call the police after a car accident IF any of the following points apply, according to Maine Legislature,

Damage Goes OVER $2,000: If the total damage to both cars or property is greater than $1,000, you have to call the police.
Unintentional Collision: If the collision was unintentional, it’s a good idea to notify the police for documentation and assistance.
Crash on a Public Way: Any collision that happens on a public road necessitates a police report.
Personal Injury: If anyone involved in the accident suffers an injury, calling the police is crucial for medical assistance and documentation.

Okay, I get most of the points, but what about #3? If you’re outside your home, aren’t you technically already in public? Does this mean that if you get into an accident in your driveway or on private property, you don’t need to call the police?

The most important point is the amount of damage, obviously. While $2,000 is the most, another question comes to my mind: how can you know if the damage meets or goes over that amount?

To be safe, it’s probably best to call the police.

Buuut, wouldn’t it be great if you could take a picture of the damage, upload it to an app or Google, and get a close estimate of the costs? Wow, I don't want to toot my own horn, but toot toot because I think I just came up with the next big app idea! Actually, the insurance companies probably wouldn't ever let an app like that happen.

Just remember babes, if you don't call the police at least make sure to take photos and grab the information of the other person involved!