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Accidents or a crash when driving your car, riding your motorbike, on your bike or simply crossing the road happen to anyone. Whether they're your fault or not, and whether or not you, or others are injured, they're a nerve-racking experience, but you need to be aware of your legal responsibilities.
If you are unlucky enough to be involved in a car crash or accident then here is our checklist of the legal 'do's and dont's.
- Always stop after an accident.
- Check for damage to your vehicle, any other vehicles involved and any injuries to people or animals.
- Exchange details, including name, address, telephone number, vehicle registration and insurance cover (if available) with others involved.
- If you do not stop, or cannot provide any details, then you should report the accident to the police within 24 hours.
- If someone has been injured, their property damaged or an animal injured then you MUST report it if you could not provide all the relevant details at the accident scene.
- Make sure you have a note of the other people involved and their vehicles (colour, registration, make and model).
- If there were any witnesses to the accident make sure you have their contact details too.
- If possible try and make a note of the precise location of the vehicles before any are moved.
- If you have any worries, doubts or concerns then you should call the police and ask them to attend.
- As soon as you can after the accident sit quietly and write out your recollection of exactly what happened.
If you or any of your passengers were injured in the accident then you/they should attend a doctor at the earliest opportunity and consider making a claim. Note that you do not have to use any solicitors who may be appointed by your insurers under any legal expenses insurance scheme. Do not make any admissions about liability for the accident either at the scene or later. If the police are called and you think that you may have been at fault, ask if you can arrange to give a statement at a later date.
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