Failure to stop at accident
Discussion
Hi All,
On Monday am I was driving in rush hour traffic and had a little prang. A Range Rover was in the lane beside me & without indicating swerved half into my lane & jumped on the brakes (not sure why, there was no reason to stop/slow down that I could see). I was going faster than them when they pulled across and had started to brake but there was no way my avoiding the collision. Contact was only a small ding on my offside wing, but his bumper was cracked & had paint on it from my vehicle. Just after the contact the driver pulled away so I tooted my horn once, flashed my lights & indicated to pull over in a nearby bus stop which was out of the traffic.
The problem is that the other driver decided not to stop, went through amber lights and dissappered before I could get the reg. The impact was not huge but the Range Rover visibly moved when I contacted it, so I assume that they noticed.
Anyway, I went to the police station & filled in self notification of accident form explaining situation etc. I'm not fussed about damage to the car I was driving as it is literally worthless. What I am more concerned about is what would happen next.
If the driver did get my plate and reports the accident will I be in line for failure to stop etc? Would be it be my word against theirs etc?
The guys in the police station were not very helpful & just said that Traffic would let me know. I'm just a bit annoyed about it now and really don't want extra hassle caused by some twit driving off.
On Monday am I was driving in rush hour traffic and had a little prang. A Range Rover was in the lane beside me & without indicating swerved half into my lane & jumped on the brakes (not sure why, there was no reason to stop/slow down that I could see). I was going faster than them when they pulled across and had started to brake but there was no way my avoiding the collision. Contact was only a small ding on my offside wing, but his bumper was cracked & had paint on it from my vehicle. Just after the contact the driver pulled away so I tooted my horn once, flashed my lights & indicated to pull over in a nearby bus stop which was out of the traffic.
The problem is that the other driver decided not to stop, went through amber lights and dissappered before I could get the reg. The impact was not huge but the Range Rover visibly moved when I contacted it, so I assume that they noticed.
Anyway, I went to the police station & filled in self notification of accident form explaining situation etc. I'm not fussed about damage to the car I was driving as it is literally worthless. What I am more concerned about is what would happen next.
If the driver did get my plate and reports the accident will I be in line for failure to stop etc? Would be it be my word against theirs etc?
The guys in the police station were not very helpful & just said that Traffic would let me know. I'm just a bit annoyed about it now and really don't want extra hassle caused by some twit driving off.
Technically he has failed to stop. However, if the facts are held as presented, then I can't see a magistrate finding against him.
Failure to give details is covered by the report to police station.
Real shame you didn't get the other vehicles index number. I have thing about people who don't stop...
BTW - it strikes me that the most important thing to do at an accident is get the index numbers of one or two witness cars, even if they don't stop, so that down the line they can help when the insurers go for 50/50 settlement when it's not your fault. After that you can tend to the injured... :-)
Failure to give details is covered by the report to police station.
Real shame you didn't get the other vehicles index number. I have thing about people who don't stop...
BTW - it strikes me that the most important thing to do at an accident is get the index numbers of one or two witness cars, even if they don't stop, so that down the line they can help when the insurers go for 50/50 settlement when it's not your fault. After that you can tend to the injured... :-)
Thanks all, I am kicking myself about not getting the index number or other witnesses. Have been shunted a couple of times before & always got witnesses & details etc.
I think I was too busy looking for somewhere safe to pull over that I had a bit of a dumb moment re the plate.
I've got a throwaway camera, notebook & pen in the car for such events - just no chance to use them. Oh Well. As I said, not fussed about prang to my car, it was full of knocks when I got it & the wife is partial to striking inanimate pieces of concrete and trees
I think I was too busy looking for somewhere safe to pull over that I had a bit of a dumb moment re the plate.
I've got a throwaway camera, notebook & pen in the car for such events - just no chance to use them. Oh Well. As I said, not fussed about prang to my car, it was full of knocks when I got it & the wife is partial to striking inanimate pieces of concrete and trees
Read the salutary tale in: Didn't stop at accident - Streaky
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff