Crash - What To Do If You Have A Car Crash In The UK. |
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Tim HillerbyMorgan
17 September 2009
At some point in your driving you will be involved in an accident. It might not be your fault, but you will still be involved. This is why you need to know what to do.
The law says that an accident is an incident that causes injury to someone other than a driver or damage to property.
Insurance companies say that an accident is any incident, that is not a crime, involving a car and damage. If it looks like an accident and feels like an accident treat it as an accident.
What do I need to do? - Stop at the scene. - Give your name, address and car registration to the other driver or the owner of the damaged property. It is a good idea to swop insurance details at this stage. - If someone has been injured you must swop insurance details - If you can not swop details at the time you must report the accident to the police within 24 hours. - Police must be informed of injury accidents within 24 hours The police will ask you to produce both parts of your driving licence, insurance and possibly V5. - If the Police attend the scene they should ask you to take a breath test - do not refuse to take the breath test.
What the insurance company needs you to do - Do not discuss fault or say sorry- it could affect your insurance. - Get the names and addresses of any witnesses. If you can, get them to say what they saw. o You need to write down the following: o Damage and injuries o Weather and road conditions o Time date and exact place o What people have said o The identification of any police, PCSO or Highways Agency Traffic Officers - Take photographs or draw a map of the scene. - Try to make sure that the other person agrees the damage or injuries. It will stop inflated insurance claims
On a fly drive in the UK
Ok, so you have come to the UK on holiday and hired a car. I am take it that you have been sensible and take colision damage waiver. This means that you will not have to pay the excess fee on any insurance claims.
You have an accident whilst in the UK. A passer by has called the police and they have arrived. You must act exactly as a UK license holder would.
When they ask to see your license show them your passport as well. When they ask for your insurance documents tell them that it is a hire care and you hired it from... at .... Then show them the hire agreement.
Tell the hire company that you have had an accident and follow their instructions. If you can not contact the hire company give the other driver or the police their details.
If you commit a road traffic offence in the UK you do not have the same options as a UK license holder. You will not be given a ticket ( a notice to pay a fixed penatly fine to the courts). You will be reported for consideration of the question of prosecution for the offence of... All this means is that the police officer is going to make written report. This report will ask the state prosecutors if they want to take any action. If they do they will contact you at your home address. And, to be honest that is a very big if.