What to save before the rental car is returned or towed
- Report the crash and get the police report number. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Write down the responding agency, the exact location, and the other driver’s contact and insurance information. How to get a Miami-Dade crash report
- Notify the rental company and save the rental records. Ask for its incident number and a copy of any report you submit. Keep the signed agreement, the list of authorized drivers, and the receipt showing which optional coverages you accepted or declined.
- Document the car and where it goes. If it’s safe, take photos of the plates, damage, and scene. Keep the tow receipt and write down where the car was taken. If you were a passenger, save your own photos and record where you were sitting. Florida passenger injury guide
What Miami-Dade crash data shows at two intersections
From 2023 through 2025, the Florida Department of Transportation counted four fatal or serious-injury crashes at or within 350 feet of NW 27th Avenue and NW 7th Street in Miami. It counted four at or within the same distance of South Dixie Highway (US 1) and Le Jeune Road, a junction on Miami International Airport’s posted rental-car return route from South Miami. The counts cover reported crashes of that severity across vehicle types. FDOT intersection report · MIA rental-car directions
If you crash at an intersection, record both street names, your direction of travel, and your lane. When you can do so safely, photograph traffic signals, signs, and lane markings.
Which insurance may pay for injuries?
Florida generally puts the rental company’s applicable liability or personal injury protection (PIP) coverage first up to the limits required by law. A qualifying provision on the face of the rental agreement can make the authorized driver’s applicable coverage primary. Review the agreement, any optional insurance you bought, and the drivers’ policies. Check separately what any damage waiver covers and what coverage is available for injuries. Florida Statutes § 627.7263
Federal law generally protects rental companies from liability based solely on owning the car. A rental company’s own negligence can raise a separate question. 49 U.S.C. § 30106
What if I already went home?
Continue the care your providers recommend. Keep your first visit record, follow-up bills, and correspondence from the rental company and insurers. You can request the Florida crash report and rental records from home. If Florida PIP applies, its medical benefits generally require qualifying initial care within 14 days of the crash. Florida Statutes § 627.736 · Florida’s 14-day PIP guide
If you were injured in a crash involving a rental car in Miami-Dade, share the date, location, and a brief description with Manny Arce. Ask the firm how to send your rental agreement or medical records securely. Request a free case review