Austin woman’s car got hit by a drunk driver overnight, but the footage told a very different story about who’s at fault

Alex Fugman, a TikTok creator known as @justalexfugman, woke up to find her parked car had been struck overnight while she was in Austin. She posted a video about the incident, expressing her frustration. However, the footage she shared led many viewers to point out a detail that could seriously complicate her insurance claim.

The incident happened at 2:07 AM, and Fugman captured the whole thing on video. She was angry, and believed the other driver was drunk. “Very mad. Because somebody hit us last night. Cause we have the car parked in the street… Their windshield wipers were on. So I’m just gonna assume they were drunk. And they could have hit somebody. And they could have hurt them,” she said.

According to Motor1.com, the footage shows the other driver slamming into her parked car, honking, and then slowly backing away before fleeing the scene. Fugman has been actively trying to identify the driver, reaching out to her neighbors for additional camera footage. “But my question is: what kind of car is that? And I texted everybody on my street to see if any of them have an angle where we can get like, the license plates.” she asked.

Parking your car the wrong way on the street can make you partially responsible for an accident

The comments section quickly changed its tone once viewers noticed how her car was parked. Fugman’s car was facing the wrong direction on the street, and many users pointed out that this could make her partially liable for the accident. “why is your car parked in the wrong direction. is it a one way street?” one person wrote.

Another added, “Honestly, your car is facing the wrong way on the street so you may be liable.” If you are a car owner, understanding how reliable your vehicle actually is can also help you make better decisions about where and how you park it.

This is not just speculation from internet users. Traffic laws in most places require vehicles to be parked facing the same direction as the flow of traffic, whether it is a one-way or two-way street. In Austin, as in many other places, breaking these parking rules can seriously affect how an insurance company handles a claim.

Law firm Dormer Harpring says a hit-and-run driver is clearly in the wrong for leaving the scene, but the owner of an illegally parked car can still be held partially responsible. The firm notes that “since the driver of the illegally parked car broke the law, he or she will most likely be responsible for paying for the accident,” though insurance companies often use comparative negligence to argue that fault should be shared between both parties.

Parking rules exist to keep traffic moving safely and to make sure other drivers can navigate the road without any issues. When a car is parked against the flow of traffic, it can create a hazard that forces other drivers to move in unexpected ways. 

In many states, even if you are the victim of a hit-and-run, the amount of money you can recover may be reduced if you are found to be partially at fault for the accident. Keeping your car in good condition is just as important, and skipping oil changes can seriously damage your engine according to mechanics.

Fugman is still searching for the driver who hit her car, but the situation has turned into a lesson about how parking laws can unexpectedly complicate an insurance claim. Whether in Austin or anywhere else, if you have been involved in a similar situation, it is always a good idea to speak with a legal professional who understands how liability is assessed when both parties may have played a role in the incident.