Hitting a dog

[carmadgaz]

Coming home tonight I get stuck behind a Combo and a Fusion on the way home, got out to the common, checked the coast was clear and moved out to overtake the pair as we left the 30 zone.

As I drew level with the Fusion I saw a flash of movement from the front of it and heard an almighty thud. First thought was "Bloody fox" then as I moved on I realised a) It wasn't an orange flash it was white and b) The cars I was passing had both stopped.

I spun around and returned to the scene to see a third car had turned up and was carrying something to his car. Turns out he'd been out looking for his Spaniel and I had found it .

He loaded up to go to the vets and I was going to follow him there but as he left the Fusion driver pointed out there was nothing I could of done and nothing I could do by going there.

The odds of the dog surviving are slim (I was accelerating up from 30) but there doesn't appear to be any damage to the car (very small consolation).

We didn't exchange details at the scene (both rather shaken) but I have reported it to 101 as soon as I got home so there is a record. What can I expect to come from this?

[allergictocheese]

Hitting a dog means you have a duty to report the accident. Technically, phoning the non-emergency number may be insufficient- it needs to be reported at a police station or to a constable.

See s170 Road Traffic Act 1988.

[JimmyConwayNW]

This hasn't happened to me for ages. When it did I felt really bad but nothing came of it. It's just an unfortunate accident. I would probably avoid making contact with the owner of the dog as they are not going to be happy in the slightest.

I very much doubt you will hear back from police etc.

[carmadgaz]

allergictocheese said:

Hitting a dog means you have a duty to report the accident. Technically, phoning the non-emergency number may be insufficient- it needs to be reported at a police station or to a constable.

See s170 Road Traffic Act 1988.

The lady on the 101 line seemed to deem it sufficient but didn't say anything about what would happen.

JimmyConwayNW said:

This hasn't happened to me for ages. When it did I felt really bad but nothing came of it. It's just an unfortunate accident. I would probably avoid making contact with the owner of the dog as they are not going to be happy in the slightest.

I very much doubt you will hear back from police etc.

I don't plan on making contact with the owner (the other reason I didn't follow to the vets) but I have contacted a friend who works at the vets to keep me posted.

I hope not but I was just curious to know what might follow... With three (dogs) of my own I can imagine what the poor bloke was going through. The fact I could do nothing about it really doesn't make me feel better

[annsxman]

It's unfortunate but the owner will probably be kicking himself for allowing his dog to have got out.

[Gavin0478]

Sad note but if there is any damage to your car with dogs you can claim off the owner apparently.

[anonymous-user]

"apparently"

University of Pub, School of Law, eh?

[Pothole]

carmadgaz said:

Coming home tonight I get stuck behind a Combo and a Fusion on the way home, got out to the common, checked the coast was clear and moved out to overtake the pair as we left the 30 zone.

How did you 'get stuck'? Were they doing significantly less than 30? Were you doing more until you reached them? Why did you deem it necessary to overtake just as you left the 30 limit? Your impatience has probably Killed or SIed a dog. I couldn't care less about the dog, but the owner was probably quite upset. Stop driving like an arse.

[LoonR1]

Breadvan72 said:

"apparently"

University of Pub, School of Law, eh?

Even better, you can sue them for the increased insurance premiums too.

[AngryPartsBloke]

Gavin0478 said:

Sad note but if there is any damage to your car with dogs you can claim off the owner apparently.

Only if you could prove that they were negligent surely?

[Tonsko]

You could probably try to claim from the owner, and legally you may even be able to. I suspect OP wouldn't want to, even if there was damage. I know I wouldn't feel like doing it.

[J3PTF]

Why were you overtaking on the exit from a 30 zone?

[V8 Fettler]

J3PTF said:

Why were you overtaking on the exit from a 30 zone?

The age of making good progress has passed.

[dingg]

Pothole said:

carmadgaz said:

Coming home tonight I get stuck behind a Combo and a Fusion on the way home, got out to the common, checked the coast was clear and moved out to overtake the pair as we left the 30 zone.

How did you 'get stuck'? Were they doing significantly less than 30? Were you doing more until you reached them? Why did you deem it necessary to overtake just as you left the 30 limit? Your impatience has probably Killed or SIed a dog. I couldn't care less about the dog, but the owner was probably quite upset. Stop driving like an arse.

thats a real helpful post -NOT

appears the OP was driving within every aspect of the law

TROLL

[bad company]

Pothole said:

How did you 'get stuck'? Were they doing significantly less than 30? Were you doing more until you reached them? Why did you deem it necessary to overtake just as you left the 30 limit? Your impatience has probably Killed or SIed a dog. I couldn't care less about the dog, but the owner was probably quite upset. Stop driving like an arse.

With that attitude I think you need to crawl back into your Pothole and preferably stay there.

[Gavin0478]

http://carinsurance.about.com/od/CarInsuranceClaim...
https://www.directline.com/pet-insurance/buyers-gu...

Two googled searches and i used apparently so that none of the trolls started the "apparently"

University of Pub, School of Law, eh? etc etc.

[LoonR1]

Gavin0478 said:

http://carinsurance.about.com/od/CarInsuranceClaim...
https://www.directline.com/pet-insurance/buyers-gu...

Two googled searches and i used apparently so that none of the trolls started the "apparently"

University of Pub, School of Law, eh? etc etc.

You're going to have to help me out there. All it says is "you may be liable for..." It doesn't say you will and IME it's very rare for a dog owner to be liable. For example if your dog escapes from your locked garden then not a problem, ditto of it bolts and has no history of doing so and so on.

Of course I'm not that experienced around insurance and Breadvan isn't overly clued up legally.

[Corpulent Tosser]

Pothole said:

How did you 'get stuck'? Were they doing significantly less than 30? Were you doing more until you reached them? Why did you deem it necessary to overtake just as you left the 30 limit? Your impatience has probably Killed or SIed a dog. I couldn't care less about the dog, but the owner was probably quite upset. Stop driving like an arse.

Stop posting like one !

[carmadgaz]

dingg said:

Pothole said:

carmadgaz said:

Coming home tonight I get stuck behind a Combo and a Fusion on the way home, got out to the common, checked the coast was clear and moved out to overtake the pair as we left the 30 zone.

How did you 'get stuck'? Were they doing significantly less than 30? Were you doing more until you reached them? Why did you deem it necessary to overtake just as you left the 30 limit? Your impatience has probably Killed or SIed a dog. I couldn't care less about the dog, but the owner was probably quite upset. Stop driving like an arse.

thats a real helpful post -NOT

appears the OP was driving within every aspect of the law

TROLL

The road is a twisty mixture of 30/40/ NSL roads. I caught them in an earlier 40 whilst they were behind a gritter, when the gritter moved over for us we carried on into the NSL at 50, braking for every corner. The common is a clear stretch of nearly a mile and you can see the end from the beginning. When exiting the 30 I could see the coast was clear and moved for an overtake. Same maneuver I have performed many times on that road and seen performed many more as it is the first 'safe' bit for overtaking in about 2 miles.

[Devil2575]

Would anyone really try to claim from the owner of a dog that you'd just hit and killed anyway? It would be a pretty low act.
It's only one step down from suggestions to try and claim from parents after you hit their child.