Got a credit card? use our Credit Card & Finance Calculators
Thanks to eyeball08,Wondergirly,bofh,johnstevens77,Bhoddhisatva, for Donating to support the site
Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
-
- Lemon Slice
- Posts: 479
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:56 pm
- Has thanked: 1308 times
- Been thanked: 108 times
Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
I'd always thought that car accidents involving injury or criminality (eg drunk driving) should be reported to the police, but that there was no necessity otherwise. So if I rear-ended someone, provided we stopped and exchanged details, there was no need to inform the police.
However, I was reading on the RAC website that (1): 'The Road Traffic Act says that you must report the accident to a police constable or police station within 24 hours.'
but the Gov website doesn't seem quite so definite(2): 'You must report the accident to the police within 24 hours if you do not give your details at the time of the accident.'
So, in a real life example, where someone misjudges a bend, scrapes a barrier, and breaks their headlight, do the police have to be informed?
(obviously the insurance company needs to be informed, my question is solely about the police)
(1)
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/road ... ce%20claim.
(2)
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/if ... n-accident
However, I was reading on the RAC website that (1): 'The Road Traffic Act says that you must report the accident to a police constable or police station within 24 hours.'
but the Gov website doesn't seem quite so definite(2): 'You must report the accident to the police within 24 hours if you do not give your details at the time of the accident.'
So, in a real life example, where someone misjudges a bend, scrapes a barrier, and breaks their headlight, do the police have to be informed?
(obviously the insurance company needs to be informed, my question is solely about the police)
(1)
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/road ... ce%20claim.
(2)
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/if ... n-accident
-
- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 4406
- Joined: November 8th, 2016, 11:14 pm
- Has thanked: 1603 times
- Been thanked: 1593 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
MyNameIsUrl wrote:I'd always thought that car accidents involving injury or criminality (eg drunk driving) should be reported to the police, but that there was no necessity otherwise. So if I rear-ended someone, provided we stopped and exchanged details, there was no need to inform the police.
However, I was reading on the RAC website that (1): 'The Road Traffic Act says that you must report the accident to a police constable or police station within 24 hours.'
but the Gov website doesn't seem quite so definite(2): 'You must report the accident to the police within 24 hours if you do not give your details at the time of the accident.'
So, in a real life example, where someone misjudges a bend, scrapes a barrier, and breaks their headlight, do the police have to be informed?
(obviously the insurance company needs to be informed, my question is solely about the police)
(1)
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/road ... ce%20claim.
(2)
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/if ... n-accident
You don't have to report all accidents. If you read the entire RAC article you'll see that they explain various circumstances in which you should report.
GS
-
- Lemon Slice
- Posts: 523
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:15 pm
- Has thanked: 62 times
- Been thanked: 116 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
I understood that only if someone was injured you had to call the police.
So if you're rear-ended it can be worthwhile claiming whip-lash or a bruised knee and calling the police to establish the facts, though you might be arrested for wasting their time or breaking Covid.
So if you're rear-ended it can be worthwhile claiming whip-lash or a bruised knee and calling the police to establish the facts, though you might be arrested for wasting their time or breaking Covid.
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 6139
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:12 pm
- Has thanked: 1589 times
- Been thanked: 1801 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
Stonge wrote:I understood that only if someone was injured you had to call the police. ...
The links already provided are quite helpful in this regard and provide other examples as to when you should call the Police (and/or other Emergency Services).
Also see https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170, assuming that is up to date as I'm unsure and haven't checked if the Road Traffic Act 1991 supersedes or amends the 1988 Act.
-
- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 1330
- Joined: March 27th, 2017, 11:41 am
- Has thanked: 598 times
- Been thanked: 585 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
Stonge wrote:I understood that only if someone was injured you had to call the police.
Im sure they used to include dogs, but not cats, but now it seems all animals are included.
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 6139
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:12 pm
- Has thanked: 1589 times
- Been thanked: 1801 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
Lanark wrote:Im sure they used to include dogs, but not cats, but now it seems all animals are included.
The RTA 1988 includes:
170 Duty of driver to stop, report accident and give information or documents. ...
(b) damage is caused—
(i)to a vehicle other than that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle] or a trailer drawn by that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle], or
(ii)to an animal other than an animal in or on that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle] or a trailer drawn by that [F1mechanically propelled vehicle], ...
Further down:
(8) In this section “animal” means horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog.
Do you know if that was amended in the 1991 Act or somewhere else?
-
- The full Lemon
- Posts: 16629
- Joined: October 10th, 2017, 11:33 am
- Has thanked: 4343 times
- Been thanked: 7535 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
I assume that wild deer or not included in the definition of an 'animal' for the purposes of the Act. Certainly no one stops near where I live, unless of course the vehicle is damaged (which is often the case). Our local Council even has a dedicated gang who go around collecting the carcases.
Dod
Dod
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 6139
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:12 pm
- Has thanked: 1589 times
- Been thanked: 1801 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
Dod101 wrote:I assume that wild deer or not included in the definition of an 'animal' for the purposes of the Act. ...
Unless it is an ass!
Some random advice re wild animals etc here:
https://www.insurethebox.com/guide-what-do-if-you-hit-animal-while-driving
-
- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 1976
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 10:25 am
- Has thanked: 219 times
- Been thanked: 468 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
PinkDalek wrote:Stonge wrote:I understood that only if someone was injured you had to call the police. ...
The links already provided are quite helpful in this regard and provide other examples as to when you should call the Police (and/or other Emergency Services).
Also see https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170, assuming that is up to date as I'm unsure and haven't checked if the Road Traffic Act 1991 supersedes or amends the 1988 Act.
The version linked states that
but looking at the list of outstanding changes which have not yet been made to the online version of the Act, there are no changes to s.170.There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Road Traffic Act 1988. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations
So - in terms of the OP's question:
someone misjudges a bend, scrapes a barrier, and breaks their headlight, do the police have to be informed?
The answer is - Yes, s170 says you have to report
an accident occurs by which—
....
(b)damage is caused—
...
(iii)to any other property constructed on, fixed to, growing in or otherwise forming part of the land on which the road or place in question is situated or land adjacent to such land.
Admittedly, this is reading "scrapes a barrier" as "leaving a visible mark on the barrier". If the question had been "someone misjudges a bend, nudges a barrier, and breaks their headlight but does not damage the barrier", the answer would be "No".
The answer to the question posed by the topic title is "No, not all accidents have to be reported"
-
- The full Lemon
- Posts: 16629
- Joined: October 10th, 2017, 11:33 am
- Has thanked: 4343 times
- Been thanked: 7535 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
PinkDalek wrote:Dod101 wrote:I assume that wild deer or not included in the definition of an 'animal' for the purposes of the Act. ...
Unless it is an ass!
Some random advice re wild animals etc here:
https://www.insurethebox.com/guide-what-do-if-you-hit-animal-while-driving
Thanks for that PD. I must say that not fancying my hand at handling an injured, possibly dead, roe deer, I left it, as do the majority of drivers. I have so far only had that one accident and for some reason my car was undamaged. No culls are undertaken near me as far as I know and there are far too many roe deer around my way.
Dod
-
- The full Lemon
- Posts: 18885
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
- Has thanked: 636 times
- Been thanked: 6651 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
MyNameIsUrl wrote: in a real life example, where someone misjudges a bend, scrapes a barrier, and breaks their headlight, do the police have to be informed?
(obviously the insurance company needs to be informed, my question is solely about the police)
If you have an accident that does not involve another vehicle or person, and the only damage is to your vehicle and/or an inanimate object, then there can be some serious implications of reporting the incident, at least at the time of the accident.
A friend of one of my children was driving in a country lane in Devon. She swerved to avoid an animal in the road (a fox, she said) and ran into a stone wall. She was not hurt and the damage was not serious. She rang the police from the scene, who arrived and even though she was sober, the car was roadworthy and she was not speeding, she was taken to the local police station where she spent the night in a cell. Her father had to get her out of there the following morning.
In addition she was fined, banned from driving for one year, and had to pay compensation to the owner of the wall, which was the local council.
Now, she showed poor judgement in the excessive manoeuvre. But at the time I could not help but feel that she had been treated in a manner not warranted by the circumstances.
In a similar situation, I doubt that she would report it so promptly again, if at all. Surely the law should encourage people to do the right thing?
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 6139
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:12 pm
- Has thanked: 1589 times
- Been thanked: 1801 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
Lootman wrote:... Surely the law should encourage people to do the right thing?
I think it does.
Your story shows, based on what you were told, the issue might be with the Police. Mind you, how do you know what you were told, second or third hand, was the actualité?
-
- The full Lemon
- Posts: 18885
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
- Has thanked: 636 times
- Been thanked: 6651 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
PinkDalek wrote:Lootman wrote:... Surely the law should encourage people to do the right thing?
I think it does.
Your story shows, based on what you were told, the issue might be with the Police. Mind you, how do you know what you were told, second or third hand, was the actualité?
I did hear the account first hand from her, rather than second hand from my son. But yes of course she might have embellished the story to make herself look better, although she certainly was not sanguine about the incident at all.
Had she made her way home and reported the incident the next day, the outcome might have been better. Or I suppose it might have been the same with an extra charge of leaving the scene of an accident. But at least later she could have calmed down, had time to figure out how to handle it, taken advice, perhaps used a solicitor etc.
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 8133
- Joined: November 8th, 2016, 2:30 pm
- Has thanked: 2881 times
- Been thanked: 3982 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
In my youth, I fell off motorbikes frequently enough to have scraped a quarter of an inch off the asphalt on some corners of Birmingham. (Some hyperbole here, possibly. ) Black ice, spilled diesel, and any number of "other people's fault" incidents. The only damage, usually, was to my ego and to the knees on my trousers; the remedy was to curse my fate and resolve to get some new brake linings.
My wife hit a badger one dark night, on a fast rural A road. Made a dent the size of your elbow in the double-skinned steel air dam of her Metro. She got out to check the animal's welfare, thinking she might have to ask somebody to dispatch it humanely, but it had already scarpered off into the bushes. Tough little beasties, badgers.
BJ
My wife hit a badger one dark night, on a fast rural A road. Made a dent the size of your elbow in the double-skinned steel air dam of her Metro. She got out to check the animal's welfare, thinking she might have to ask somebody to dispatch it humanely, but it had already scarpered off into the bushes. Tough little beasties, badgers.
BJ
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 6139
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:12 pm
- Has thanked: 1589 times
- Been thanked: 1801 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
Fair enough.
At a young age I would probably have been in a complete mess after such an accident. I can't say, for certain, that I've never had a reportable accident and not so done. I simply can't remember but they would have been minor scrapes and not my fault (but I would say that obviously) and may not have been my obligation (I haven't looked back at what's been written so far).
The time I was in The City of London's smallest Police Station*** for motoring matters (ahem), they were perfectly courteous but again I can't recall if I was offered a phone call, I probably was, although I do recall the copious amounts of tea I was given, gratis.
Beltless and shoeless but I was able to replicate Hilts's time in the slammer, as I had a pound coin in my pocket which I used as a baseball a couple of times in an attempt to while away the hours. I didn't fancy even sitting on what was supposed to be a mattress (heavily soiled etc).
Anyway, I digress.
*** Since sold it would appear:
https://www.whitbread.co.uk/media/press-releases/2020/15-01-2020
At a young age I would probably have been in a complete mess after such an accident. I can't say, for certain, that I've never had a reportable accident and not so done. I simply can't remember but they would have been minor scrapes and not my fault (but I would say that obviously) and may not have been my obligation (I haven't looked back at what's been written so far).
The time I was in The City of London's smallest Police Station*** for motoring matters (ahem), they were perfectly courteous but again I can't recall if I was offered a phone call, I probably was, although I do recall the copious amounts of tea I was given, gratis.
Beltless and shoeless but I was able to replicate Hilts's time in the slammer, as I had a pound coin in my pocket which I used as a baseball a couple of times in an attempt to while away the hours. I didn't fancy even sitting on what was supposed to be a mattress (heavily soiled etc).
Anyway, I digress.
*** Since sold it would appear:
https://www.whitbread.co.uk/media/press-releases/2020/15-01-2020
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 6139
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:12 pm
- Has thanked: 1589 times
- Been thanked: 1801 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
bungeejumper wrote:... My wife hit a badger one dark night, on a fast rural A road. Made a dent the size of your elbow in the double-skinned steel air dam of her Metro. ...
Tell her to try Moose or is it Elk next time. Apparently due to their height you can take their legs out with little or no damage to the car, although that may be a tall story.
-
- The full Lemon
- Posts: 18885
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
- Has thanked: 636 times
- Been thanked: 6651 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
PinkDalek wrote:Fair enough. At a young age I would probably have been in a complete mess after such an accident. I can't say, for certain, that I've never had a reportable accident and not so done. I simply can't remember but they would have been minor scrapes and not my fault (but I would say that obviously) and may not have been my obligation (I haven't looked back at what's been written so far).
Yes, she was 24 at the time and was clearly flustered and stressed at the scene of the accident. I thought at the time that she probably blurted something out to the police that made her situation worse.
The point being that it can be prudent to go home, if you can, and deal with the matter when you are more composed.
PinkDalek wrote:The time I was in The City of London's smallest Police Station*** for motoring matters (ahem), they were perfectly courteous but again I can't recall if I was offered a phone call, I probably was, although I do recall the copious amounts of tea I was given, gratis.
Beltless and shoeless but I was able to replicate Hilts's time in the slammer, as I had a pound coin in my pocket which I used as a baseball a couple of times in an attempt to while away the hours. I didn't fancy even sitting on what was supposed to be a mattress (heavily soiled etc). Anyway, I digress.
Funnily enough when I spent a night at Bow Street nick (drunk and disorderly, in case you were wondering) they let me keep my belt and tie. I recall the booking officer saying something like "This one doesn't look capable of offing himself". He was probably right.
It was a 2-man cell and I spent the night worrying about who my companion would be and what his nocturnal interests might be. In the end I had the room to myself and was kicked out at 4 a.m. with no charges. Put me off ever being in prison for sure.
-
- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 3499
- Joined: November 27th, 2016, 8:45 am
- Has thanked: 131 times
- Been thanked: 1277 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
Lootman wrote:A friend of one of my children was driving in a country lane in Devon. She swerved to avoid an animal in the road (a fox, she said) and ran into a stone wall. She was not hurt and the damage was not serious. She rang the police from the scene, who arrived and even though she was sober, the car was roadworthy and she was not speeding, she was taken to the local police station where she spent the night in a cell. Her father had to get her out of there the following morning.
In addition she was fined, banned from driving for one year, and had to pay compensation to the owner of the wall, which was the local council.
Now, she showed poor judgement in the excessive manoeuvre. But at the time I could not help but feel that she had been treated in a manner not warranted by the circumstances.
In a similar situation, I doubt that she would report it so promptly again, if at all. Surely the law should encourage people to do the right thing?
What on earth was she charged with which got her a one year ban? Driving without due care and attention? If she got a ban for the circumstances described then she had a lousy lawyer. Or was it a case that she had passed her driving test within the prior 2 years and 3 points took her over the new driver 6 point threshold so she had to do a retest.
But then what on earth got a sober and compliant individual a night in the cells? I am not sure your friend has been completely candid.
Lootman wrote:Yes, she was 24 at the time and was clearly flustered and stressed at the scene of the accident. I thought at the time that she probably blurted something out to the police that made her situation worse.
Very likely. NEVER say ANYTHING to the police to explain your innocence. It will never help you and is far more likely to be used against you.
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 7982
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 6:11 pm
- Has thanked: 987 times
- Been thanked: 3656 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
AF62 wrote:What on earth was she charged with which got her a one year ban? Driving without due care and attention? If she got a ban for the circumstances described then she had a lousy lawyer. Or was it a case that she had passed her driving test within the prior 2 years and 3 points took her over the new driver 6 point threshold so she had to do a retest.
But then what on earth got a sober and compliant individual a night in the cells? I am not sure your friend has been completely candid.
A one year ban is the minimum punishment for a "dangerous driving" conviction.
"classed as driving which “falls far below what would be expected of competent and careful driving, and it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving in that way would be dangerous.”
It can include driving aggressively, overtaking in dangerous locations and racing other vehicles."
So maybe that, but like you I think there must have been more to it than has been said.
Scott.
-
- Lemon Pip
- Posts: 69
- Joined: November 5th, 2016, 6:54 am
- Has thanked: 4 times
- Been thanked: 21 times
Re: Do all car accidents have to be reported to the police?
PinkDalek wrote:
Tell her to try Moose or is it Elk next time. Apparently due to their height you can take their legs out with little or no damage to the car, although that may be a tall story.
Think it is actually the opposite that is supposed to be the case. The bonnet takes out the legs without absorbing any speed and then the very heavy body comes straight through the windshield. Saab used to describe the "Moose/Elk Test" and apparently this is one of the reasons that Volvo and Saab were made to be very safe as they had to withstand this.
Some background here https://www.saabplanet.com/the-elk-test-preparing-for-the-unexpected-animal/ warning there is a slightly graphic image of a dead moose being hauled out of a car.
Return to “Cars, Driving, Motorbikes or any Transport”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 33 guests