Car accidents happen, and sensible drivers can potentially be involved due to the actions of other drivers. Be sure to protect yourself from harm and potential penalties should you become involved in an accident by considering the below:
Keeping on the right side of the law
To avoid a fine of up to £5,000, between 5 and 10 licence penalty points, potential disqualification and even six months prison sentence, you must stop at the scene, if:
- You’re involved in an accident yourself or you come across an accident that has occurred involving other people.
- You injure a person or animal and/or damage someone else’s property, including road signs, fences, streetlamps, etc.
You’ll need to give your name, address, vehicle registration and ownership details to anyone related to the accident. If it’s not possible to stop, you’ll need to inform the police within 24 hours, report the accident, and provide your car insurance certificate within seven days.
What to do if you hit an animal whilst driving
The law states the term ‘animal’ relates to a horse, cow, sheep, pig, dog, goat, or mule. Drivers are legally required to report hitting any of these animals. Drivers aren’t, however, legally required to report hitting a cat. Furthermore, it is acceptable to continue driving after injuring or killing a wild animal such as a squirrel, rabbit, or pheasant.
How to stay safe and what to do with your car
If you haven’t been knocked unconscious or injured, you’ll need to switch your car’s hazard lights on if you’ve had an accident. Look for the red triangle button, which is usually found in the middle of the dashboard.
Switch off the engine immediately and move yourself and others involved to a safe location away from the scene. While staying out of harm’s way, try to warn other drivers by flashing a light or positioning a warning triangle, ideally wearing something luminous, reflective, or Hi-Vis. If you have no such precautions available, keep yourself and others as safe as possible whilst you alert and wait for the emergency services.
Assessing the scene and providing first aid
Firstly, step back and work out what’s happened. Identify any hazards and risks to yourself, for whom you’re primarily responsible. If it is safe to do so, approach other injured parties with caution. Visually check them for injuries but never attempt to move them! Speak to them reassuringly and help them to focus on their breathing if they are having difficulty.
Never attempt any kind of first aid unless you have been formally trained and certified. Light bleeding can be stemmed by pressing a clean material against the wound, and shock can be reduced by gently propping the person’s legs up and putting a coat or blanket over them to warm them up. It’s tempting to try to help someone, but by contacting emergency services quickly you will be doing the greatest good overall.
Important insurance considerations
Most importantly if you have a car accident don’t admit any liability at the scene. Instead, you do need to:
- Take photos and/or videos with a mobile device but be respectful and safe.
- Exchange names, addresses and phone numbers with the other drivers involved, and obtain contact details from any independent witnesses who saw the accident.
- Make a note or take pictures of all vehicle registration plates involved in case any drivers won’t provide their details.
- Report the incident to your insurance company immediately. They will be able to advise you on any uninsured losses, what to do if the crash wasn’t your fault or an uninsured driver was involved, how to get your car repaired and what to do if it’s a write-off.
- If you’re a Motorcade customer, call our claims team from the scene. We can help you with what to do and talk to third parties as necessary.