ChatterBank0 min ago
Accident DID not stop
On a narrow country lane a van travelling on the opposite direction clipped my wing mirror. This has caused it to fall off. I pulled up further up the road, when safe to do so but the other driver did not stop. I know the first part of there number palte, car make. Is it worth contacting the police or insurance firms to try and get them to pay.
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Not really. The police won't do anything as there was no criminal intent. The insurance company won't be able to trace the van with a part number plate. Even if the third party was contacted to give their insurance details they'd probably ignore it and nothing else would happen as its not a high cost repair and not worth your insurance company wasting time following it up.
This is what the road Trafic Act 1988, section 170 says. You will see that, not only should you report the accident to the police, but you are required by law to do so. The police can trace vehicles from part numbers, and will make an effort to do so. Their effort is likely to be limited by the minor nature of the damage, but you will have complied with the law.
170.�(1) This section applies in a case where, owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on a road, an accident occurs by which�
(a) personal injury is caused to a person other than the driver of that motor vehicle, or
(b) damage is caused�
(i) to a vehicle other than that motor vehicle or a trailer drawn by that motor vehicle, or
(ii) to an animal other than an animal in or on that motor vehicle or a trailer drawn by that motor vehicle, or
(iii) to any other property constructed on, fixed to, growing in or otherwise forming part of the land on which the road in question is situated or land adjacent to such land.
(2) The driver of the motor vehicle must stop and, if required to do so by any person having reasonable grounds for so requiring, give his name and address and also the name and address of the owner and the identification marks of the vehicle.
(3) If for any reason the driver of the motor vehicle does not give his name and address under subsection (2) above, he must report the accident.
(4) A person who fails to comply with subsection (2) or (3) above is guilty of an offence.
Yes it's true that it's an offense not to stop after an accident, due to the minor nature of the damage the driver will almost certainly say he didn't notice and the police will know this
Sorry I really think you're on a looser here - I mean do you have an independant witness who'll say it was the van's fault and not yours? maybe your car did damage to his van and he did not notice until he stopped and will want to claim you were driving too close to him!
Go to a local independant body shop and get it fixed then forget about it - life's too short
Failing to stop after an accident is now arrestable under Police reform act 2002.
If you know part of the index plate and the make/colour of the vehicle PNC can do a search in conjunction with the locality. More than likely with a positive result.
Regarding skids comments, there is no need to prove intent with any road traffic law. There are pretty much absolute offences.
I would go to the cop shop. They are there to help.
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