What to do if involved in an Accident?

If you are involved in an accident on the road you need to take the following steps to help yourself so that you do not unintentionally break the law, as if you fail to flow the Law you will find yourself perhaps before the Courts and even lose your license. Most people make common mistakes and the following should help you avoid any further trauma.

The advice contained is in no way to constitute a binding relationship between us and any person acting up it, it is for information purposes only.

You must do the following if a person is injured  damage is caused to another vehicle or to someone else's property , an animal has been killed or injured, except in your own vehicle or trailer

1. Stop and stay at the scene for a reasonable time;
2. Give your vehicle registration number, your name and address, and that of the vehicle owner (if different), to anyone with reasonable grounds for asking for those details;
3. If you do not exchange those details at the scene, you must report the accident at a police station or to a police officer as soon as you can and in any case within 24 hours.

If a  person is injured you must also:

1. Produce your certificate of insurance, if anyone at the scene has reasonable grounds to see it. If you do not, you must report the accident at a police station or to a police officer as soon as you can. This must be within 24 hours otherwise you will commit an offence..
2. If you do not have your certificate of insurance at the scene of the accident, you may take it to a police station you nominate when you report the incident. You must do this within seven days of the accident. 
3. If you do not have your certificate of insurance at the scene of the accident, you may take it to a police station you nominate when you report the incident. You must do this within seven days of the accident. 
4. Reporting the accident to the police by telephone is not sufficient and you cannot ask someone else to report it for you.
5. You must do these things not only when you are directly involved in an injury accident, but also if your vehicle's 'presence' was a factor.
6. If you have any doubts, Contact us we will advise to contact the Police and obtain details of any Officer who advises you.

Failing to comply with the above could result in you committing two Criminal offences: Failing to stop after an accident and Failing to report an accident. It is possible to be guilty of either or both. The penalties for each offence include a maximum fine of £5,000 and five to ten penalty points on your driving license. The court also has the power to disqualify you from driving for either offence and is likely to do so when both offences are committed on the same occasion.

Even if there was no personal injury involved, if someone holds you responsible for the accident they have the right to request your insurance details. This request can be made later and not necessarily at the time of the accident. A failure to provide that information without a reasonable excuse is also an offence.

It will also be a condition of your insurance policy that you report the accident to your insurance company within a reasonable time, even if you do not want to claim yourself.

A failure to do so can give your insurance company the right to refuse to cover you in the future.

Always do the following in an Accident;

• Call the Police if there is any form of injury.
• Obtain Insurance details.
• Report to the Police within 24hours.
• Take a picture of the location if possible.
• Hospital/GP immediately.
• Obtain details of witnesses
• Do not admit any fault
• Contact us

• If you are a Passenger
• If you are a Pedestrian
• If you are a Motor Cyclist
• If you are a Cyclist
• Slips, Spillages  and Trips
• Accidents and Injuries at Work
• Criminal Injuries Compensation