What to do if you have an accident |
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Tim HillerbyMorgan
September 16, 2009
Tim HillerbyMorgan
http://www.driversedcompany.com/studentdriver
Everyone, and I mean everyone who drives will have a crash at some point. The average driver can expect to crash every 10, 000 miles. You neeed to know what to do at an accident.
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. - You must sweop details if someone has been injured - 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. - The police should give everyone involved in the accident a breath test. To see if they have been drinking - 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. - Make a point of writing down 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. The police have arrived. You role in an accident is the same as a UK license holder.
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. The police report will ask the state prosecutors what action to take,. If they do they will contact you at your home address. And, to be honest that is a very big if.
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The Drivers Ed Company Driving School is based in of East Yorkshire.
Tim Hillerby-Morgan is the chief instructor of the Drivers Ed' Company Driving School. This former teacher hads driven for the Police and the customs serivce. Check out http://www.driversedcompany.com/drivinglessons for full details of the services that we offer.