False motor accident accusation

[MaraMan]

I have today received a letter from a regional police force notifying me of an RTC allegedly involving my vehicle. They say someone was injured in a car park by my car and I drove off. This incident occured 200 miles away from where I live and I have never been to the town in question. Clearly either my car registration number has been wrongly noted or it has been cloned.

I am not sure what to do, the police say I must advise my insurers, which of course I will do, but in the first instance I have contaced my Motor Legal protection insurers, is that the right thing to do? I am concerned that this is an injury claim and I am being accused of not stopping, which I think might be an offence.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated.
MM

[pje16]

What did your insurance company say about it?

[staffordian]

I have today received a letter from a regional police force notifying me of an RTC allegedly involving my vehicle. They say someone was injured in a car park by my car and I drove off. This incident occured 200 miles away from where I live and I have never been to the town in question. Clearly either my car registration number has been wrongly noted or it has been cloned.

I am not sure what to do, the police say I must advise my insurers, which of course I will do, but in the first instance I have contaced my Motor Legal protection insurers, is that the right thing to do? I am concerned that this is an injury claim and I am being accused of not stopping, which I think might be an offence.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated.
MM

Do you have to inform your insurers?

Moot point as you already have, but given it has absolutely nothing to do with you or your vehicle, I wonder if there is a risk your premium will be loaded by something someone else has done?

Meant to add, ask for proof of this incident. Possibly CCTV, or is it an eye witness? And see if you have anything to prove where you were at the time in question. Perhaps receipts, maybe even a Google Maps timeline?

[Lootman]

I am concerned that this is an injury claim and I am being accused of not stopping, which I think might be an offence.

Leaving the scene of an injury accident is certainly an offence and can be a serious one depending on the nature and extent of the injury. But if there was real hard evidence it was your vehicle (e.g. CCTV) then I suspect you might get more than a polite letter. There would be a policeman at the door with a warrant or summons.

But of course there cannot be any hard evidence because it never happened. I suspect there was a "witness" who wrote down the number plate wrongly. If that witness described the vehicle then it could readily become apparent that it is not your make, model or colour.

But it's hard to know what to do without more to go on. Does the letter require a response or action on your part? I might hold off notifying my insurer in case the allegation is withdrawn due to lack of evidence.

[seagles]

You probably thought about this, but do you have proof you were elsewhere at the time? My google map on phone seems to know better than me where I am

Many years ago when living in France we were sent a parking offence ticket. Not only were we not in that town that day but we and the car were in a different country (receipt from parking garage in Venice for proof). Seems my cars number had been cloned as the car was a different colour, same make and model though.

[bungeejumper]

I have today received a letter from a regional police force notifying me of an RTC allegedly involving my vehicle. They say someone was injured in a car park by my car and I drove off. This incident occured 200 miles away from where I live and I have never been to the town in question. Clearly either my car registration number has been wrongly noted or it has been cloned.

I am not sure what to do, the police say I must advise my insurers, which of course I will do, but in the first instance I have contaced my Motor Legal protection insurers, is that the right thing to do? I am concerned that this is an injury claim and I am being accused of not stopping, which I think might be an offence.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated.
MM

Happened to a neighbour of mine. A car with cloned numberplates knocked a cyclist off a bridge at the other end of the country, and it wasn't too difficult to convince the police that my neighbour wasn't anywhere near at the time, and nor was his car. Plod came round, chatted, took some photos, and the matter never came up again.

BJ

[Dod101]

I have today received a letter from a regional police force notifying me of an RTC allegedly involving my vehicle. They say someone was injured in a car park by my car and I drove off. This incident occured 200 miles away from where I live and I have never been to the town in question. Clearly either my car registration number has been wrongly noted or it has been cloned.

I am not sure what to do, the police say I must advise my insurers, which of course I will do, but in the first instance I have contaced my Motor Legal protection insurers, is that the right thing to do? I am concerned that this is an injury claim and I am being accused of not stopping, which I think might be an offence.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated.
MM

If you are involved in an accident involving injury to a third party, do not stop and do not report it, there is no 'might' about it, it is an offence. However if you were not there clearly you were not involved and I see no need for you to advise your insurers. I would ask the police what evidence they have that your car was involved and that you deny any knowledge of the matter. Presumably you can provide evidence if required of your whereabouts at the time of the reported accident and will be able to show that you were nowhere near the scene of the accident. So long as you are certain that neither you nor anyone else was driving your car in the area referred to, I think you can stand your ground and deny any involvement. It sounds a bit like a fishing expedition to me.

Dod

[GrahamPlatt]

Years ago I received a speeding fine notice, which gave the location of the offence having occurred some couple of hundred miles away from where I live, in a town I had truly never visited in my life. I ‘phoned them up (yes, it was that long ago; there was a tel no on the letter), had a chat with the officer, who then reviewed the image and realised they’d mistaken a P for an R on the reg plate. End of matter.

[pje16]

So they weren't taking the "R" then

[bungeejumper]

Two thoughts. First, does the OP's car have any distinguishing features that would counter the evidence from a CCTV camera? Unfortunately, a competent cloner will probably get the colour right, because it's there on the DVLA records, but any small things might help. Windscreen badges, maybe even the choice of alloy wheels?

Secondly, this is one of those innumerable occasions when having a dashcam might have helped? Mine has a memory equivalent to five full days' driving, with every second of my car's driving record date-stamped for later reference. Every time a cyclist does something suicidal in front of me, I bless the day I bought it.

BJ

[DrFfybes]

A bit late now, but..

you've done nothing wrong, you weren't there, there is no reason to involve you insurers (who will immediately suspend your NCD and that of any policy you are named on, etc).

Simply write baclk to the police force in question denying it all, point out where you were that day, and if you have proof enclose it.

Paul

[Lootman]

there is no reason to involve you insurers (who will immediately suspend your NCD and that of any policy you are named on, etc).

Indeed. In fact you are supposed to report any accident or incident to your insurer. In the case of an injury accident that makes sense (if that had actually happened). But at least in theory if you just scratch the side of your car whilst driving into your garage, make no claim and fix the scratch yourself, you are still supposed to report it. Nobody does of course, but you are supposed to.

As for dinging any policy that you are on, you can mitigate that risk through separation. My wife and I have two cars between us, but I am not on her insurance and she is not on mine. So when I got a ticket a couple of years ago whilst driving her car it only affected my insurance, not hers.

[DrFfybes]

As for dinging any policy that you are on, you can mitigate that risk through separation. My wife and I have two cars between us, but I am not on her insurance and she is not on mine. So when I got a ticket a couple of years ago whilst driving her car it only affected my insurance, not hers.

We did this at first, but if you drive each other's car on your own insurance then it is extremely likely that if you crash her car, or vice versa, then it is likely you are only covered third party. Also the "drive other peoples cars" cover often only extends to the UK, so you might not covered to share the driving abroad.

Paul

[redsturgeon]

Too late now but I think you should not have informed your insurance company. You were not there, you did not have an accident there is nothing to inform them about.

I personally would do nothing except tell the police I was not there and wait to see what happens next.

I would collect all evidence to show neither I nor my car were present but would not send that evidence unless asked.


John

[seagles]

A bit ott, but my last 2 accidents caused by 3rd parties, direct line was both their insurer's and by the time I got home had an email from them acknowledging their people were at fault and I did not have to contact my insurer's.

[pje16]

Really, which insurer(s)
as anyone I have been with over the years requires notification, whether you are to blame or not

[staffordian]

Really, which insurer(s)
as anyone I have been with over the years requires notification, whether you are to blame or not

But what is there to notify? An incident which happened to someone else in someone else's vehicle?

I'd almost compare it to suggesting you have to notify your insurer if you happen to see an accident whilst out for a walk. Both examples have the same degree of involvement...

Incidentally, I may have set folk off on the wrong track.

I misread the OP as having already informed his insurer, but re-reading it, he did not say that.

[GoSeigen]

I have today received a letter from a regional police force notifying me of an RTC allegedly involving my vehicle. They say someone was injured in a car park by my car and I drove off. This incident occured 200 miles away from where I live and I have never been to the town in question. Clearly either my car registration number has been wrongly noted or it has been cloned.

I am not sure what to do, the police say I must advise my insurers, which of course I will do, but in the first instance I have contaced my Motor Legal protection insurers, is that the right thing to do? I am concerned that this is an injury claim and I am being accused of not stopping, which I think might be an offence.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated.
MM

Similar to others here, my view was that this has nothing to do with you, you don't need to do anything about it. Don't contact your insurer. Don't give the police any information whatsoever**, whether an alibi, pictures or anything else, just ask them to give you evidence that their charge is correct. They are the idiots wasting your time in this situation. Don't let them persuade you that somehow you have an obligation. You are entirely innocent in the whole affair and being given a headache by someone else's mistake or misdeeds.

Hope it goes away quickly and quietly.

GS
(**)They will take advantage of even the tiniest thing you say. They once came to my house at 11pm; all I did was answer in the affirmative that we had a foreign child staying with us (how could it hurt to answer such a simple question??), next thing I'm told he's been accused of something and being threatened with an immediate full search of my house for evidence in the middle of the night if I didn't cooperate further with their enquiries. Nightmare and expensive -- would have been better to shut up and tell them to come back at a sensible time to ask questions.

[DrFfybes]

Don't give the police any information whatsoever**, whether an alibi, pictures or anything else, just ask them to give you evidence that their charge is correct. They are the idiots wasting your time in this situation. Don't let them persuade you that somehow you have an obligation. You are entirely innocent in the whole affair and being given a headache by someone else's mistake or misdeeds.

Hope it goes away quickly and quietly.

GS
(**)They will take advantage of even the tiniest thing you say. They once came to my house at 11pm; all I did was answer in the affirmative that we had a foreign child staying with us (how could it hurt to answer such a simple question??), next thing I'm told he's been accused of something and being threatened with an immediate full search of my house for evidence in the middle of the night if I didn't cooperate further with their enquiries. Nightmare and expensive -- would have been better to shut up and tell them to come back at a sensible time to ask questions.

I would strongly disagree with this suggestion.

Firstly, the tone - GS is immediately assuming the police are idiots and treating them as so. This is NOT a good idea. People don't like being treated like idiots so best not to provoke them, especially not if they are in a position of authority.

What we know is someone has reported an incident to the police quoting your vehicle Reg. That is all we know. The Police have followed their standard procedure in tracing the registered keeper and informing them of the situation. There is also the Offence of failing to stop after an accident, and you might have been unaware of hitting someone depending upon the vehicle/trailer/caravan and circumstances.

The ball is now firmly in your court to respond, in this case to inform them that there has been an error. This could be either by mistake in recording the reg no, a cloned vehicle, or someone maliciously reporting your vehicle for some other reason.

Paul

[Spet0789]

Don't give the police any information whatsoever**, whether an alibi, pictures or anything else, just ask them to give you evidence that their charge is correct. They are the idiots wasting your time in this situation. Don't let them persuade you that somehow you have an obligation. You are entirely innocent in the whole affair and being given a headache by someone else's mistake or misdeeds.

Hope it goes away quickly and quietly.

GS
(**)They will take advantage of even the tiniest thing you say. They once came to my house at 11pm; all I did was answer in the affirmative that we had a foreign child staying with us (how could it hurt to answer such a simple question??), next thing I'm told he's been accused of something and being threatened with an immediate full search of my house for evidence in the middle of the night if I didn't cooperate further with their enquiries. Nightmare and expensive -- would have been better to shut up and tell them to come back at a sensible time to ask questions.

I would strongly disagree with this suggestion.

Firstly, the tone - GS is immediately assuming the police are idiots and treating them as so. This is NOT a good idea. People don't like being treated like idiots so best not to provoke them, especially not if they are in a position of authority.

What we know is someone has reported an incident to the police quoting your vehicle Reg. That is all we know. The Police have followed their standard procedure in tracing the registered keeper and informing them of the situation. There is also the Offence of failing to stop after an accident, and you might have been unaware of hitting someone depending upon the vehicle/trailer/caravan and circumstances.

The ball is now firmly in your court to respond, in this case to inform them that there has been an error. This could be either by mistake in recording the reg no, a cloned vehicle, or someone maliciously reporting your vehicle for some other reason.

Paul

I agree with this. The Police are acting entirely reasonably given the vehicle registration they have been given. I would simply reply briefly and courteously stating that you (and your car) were [whereever] on the day in question and offer to provide them with any assistance you can in clearing the matter up.