No one wants to be involved in a road traffic accident, they can not only result in sometimes life changing injuries but they can also leave you worried about having to take time off work. They may also lead to you having to pay for alternative transport and expensive repairs to your car. No matter how small the accident you are involved in is you are required by law to stop. Failing to do so is an offence under the Road Traffic Act. Come to a stop in a safe location, make sure your engine is turned off and your hazard lights are on to alert other road users.
If anyone has been injured in the accident you should immediately call 999 and ask for the ambulance. If a car is blocking the road or you feel there was foul play involved, such as a crash for cash scam, you should also ask for the police service.
If no one is injured and the road is not blocked you should call the police on 101 instead to ensure they can respond to more important incidents.
Exchanging details after a car accident
If you’re involved in an accident you’re obliged to give your name and address to anyone else involved. You should stop and give your details if you crash into something on or near the road even if there aren’t any other people involved. For example if you hit a parked car you should leave your details on the windscreen so they can contact you.
Avoid saying or accepting blame for the accident until you know precisely what happened as this could be seen as an admission of liability and used against you at a later date.
If you don’t call the police immediately after the accident has occurred you will still need to report it to them within 24 hours. If you fail to do so you could find yourself on the receiving end of a fine, penalty points or even result in disqualification.
You should do your best to collect the names, addresses and contact details from any drivers, passengers and witnesses. You should also gather the insurance details of the other drivers involved in the accident, ask the driver if they are the registered keeper of the vehicle. If not, find out who is and take a copy of their name and address.
You should call 999 immediately if someone leaves the scene of the car accident without giving their details.
- Read how we helped Adam after his road traffic accident
- When I was involved in a road traffic accident and I suffered what could have been life changing injuries I didn’t know where to turn. I was laid up at home after I had suffered broken bones in both of my legs.
I was worried that by the time I was able to work again my cash reserves would have dried up and my family would be struggling to afford to put food on the table. Something which is every dads worst nightmare.A friend of mine suggested I call a personal injury solicitor and said he has previously used Injury Lawyers UK and was very impressed. The next day I called and spoke to Matthew Waterfield, he immediately reassured me that I was likely to have a successful claim.He swiftly arranged for me to have a private medical examination to establish how well I was recovering and what more could be done to aid me. He seemed to care about me and my family, he arranged a time to pay me a visit to meet in person.He informed me that it was likely I could receive an interim payment to help me make ends meet while I was still off work. He arranged extensive physiotherapy sessions with a brilliant doctor, I believe this physiotherapy is the reason I no longer have trouble walking or pains.Matthew had managed to provide enough evidence showing the blame lay with the third party and their insurers admitted full liability. Injury Lawyers UK successfully recovered £41,000 in compensation. This meant that I no longer had to worry about providing for my family.Without Matthew’s and Injury Lawyers UK support during a difficult period for my family the outcome could have been very difficult. I can’t begin to extend my gratitude for their team who did all they could to help me.
I recommend anyone who finds themselves in the same situation as me to contact Injury Lawyers UK, they helped me overcome my injuries better than I thought I ever would.
Other useful information to gather
Although not vital you should try and collect as much information from the list below:
- The registration numbers of all vehicles involved, as well as colour, make and model.
- A description of the weather conditions and anything unusual about the road or lighting.
- The time and date of the crash.
- Photographs or sketches showing the positions of the vehicles involved.
- Photographs and a list of damage to vehicles.
- Description of any injuries sustained.
All of the above could come in useful when trying to establish liability of who was responsible for the accident.
Informing your insurer
Following an accident you should tell your insurance company about the car accident as soon as possible. Failure to do so within the time period listed in your policy may invalidate your insurance and leave you responsible to cover the cost of any damage caused.
Even if the accident was only minor and you don’t want to make a claim you should always inform your insurer. The time limit for informing the insurer varies from two days to two weeks depending on your policy so you should always read your policy to find out.
You should handover all the information you have gathered from the accident to the insurance company, ideally you can provide them with the other drivers name, address, contact details, vehicle registration number and their car insurance details.
What happens next?
Your insurance company will handle the claim on your behalf, they will contact you regarding what you need to do next in regard to who was at fault and getting your car repaired.
If you suffered an injury in the accident that wasn’t your fault then you could pursue a claim for compensation to help you recover fully from the injury. To begin you should contact Injury Lawyers UK by calling 0800 1123 156 or complete an online enquiry form.
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