• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 31 subscribers
  • Views 60 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Is this a normal reaction?

Dk84

Hi,

On my way home from work this evening I was station sat in traffic when another vehicle came off , the roundabout that I had just left at high speed and hit the back of my car.

I never panicked, i got straight on the phone to emergency services while making sure that the other driver was okay. Then whilst waiting for the police to arrive, which took 20 minutes.  I managed to clear all of the traffic that had built up by directing cars around the incident.

Im ok and my car only has a dent in the rear bumper, but the other guy's car is very damaged and his airbag deployed. He did not hang around waiting for the police to arrive. He had a smoke, got his coat and walked off

Is this a normal response to an incident. How would any of you guys have dealt with that situation?

  • in reply to Dk84

    That the car was insured does not mean the man driving was insured to drive it. Nor that there wasn't something else at play (disqualified/no licence/drunk/under the influence of a drug) ... The other driver is legally obligated under the Road Traffic Act to stop and exchange details with you; he didn't. 

    That may have been through naivety, but it could be something more sinister. The police should properly make sure all boxes are ticked by conducting those basic enquiries due to all of the circumstances here, and I'd advise you to press them to make sure that they do

  • in reply to Literal_Joe

    The police managed to obtain their insurance details so I have started a claim, my car only needs a new rear bumper and is very drivable, I would imagine his car is a write off, his airbag went off and quite alot of the front of his car was crumpled

  • in reply to Dk84

    Hmm, then that rings alarm bells. It's possible that the other driver didn't know what to do/was in a bit of shock/had somewhere else to go sharpish ... But I'd be suspicious of that.

    I'd advise you to now write down everything you can remember about the other driver's appearance, and make sure you follow up with the police about it. I suspect the other driver may have had a drink or have an issue around their licence - In these circumstances the police should make basic enquiries with the registered owner of the car, and seek to identify the other driver both for their report and to do a breath test 

  • in reply to Literal_Joe

    The other driver left before I could get his details, he knew i was on the phone to the emergency services cos I asked him if he needed any medical help.

    The police gave me his insurance details and i waited for the police to tell me it was ok for me to leave as my car is drivable and his was not

  • in reply to Iain

    I know, I just didnt want other people to be too inconvenienced by my inconvenience. And tbh I was quite shocked by my own reaction to the whole thing

  • Hi DK - Did the other driver make off and leave their vehicle there? Did they know you had called the police?

    The most important thing is that you exchanged names and addresses, and took the registration number of the car. You should also provide/get the owner of the car's details (if not the driver).

    I'm a bit suspicious of the other driver's actions, but it's hard to tell from this as is ... My advice if you were in the same situation again (no injury, your car is safely drive able) - Exchange details with the other driver , take a couple of photos of damage and the immediate surroundings - if you can get a photo of the other driver too then great - Then you can leave. I hope the police now do what they should (check everything out), but make sure you chase up that they have 

  • in reply to Dk84
    Dk84 said:
    he left the sceen and didnt return

    It was a sociably considerate act but not one that is required of you - you are only responsible for your own vehicle in this situation. The other guy will probably have his car towed to impound as a result of this and then he will have to pay to get it back out as well a repairing the damage.

    Perhaps he was going to arrange to have it towed away. I guess he will get a shock when he returns.

    You have done no wrong - I was just pointing out what is required.

  • in reply to Iain

    Hi iain, I only called the police because his vehicle was un drivable and then he left the sceen and didnt return

  • Dk84 said:
    Is this a normal response to an incident.

    For a normal, minor accident like this where there was no injury it is a normal way to deal with it.

    The police don't have the resources to deal with minor "fender bender" accidents and are only really needed if there is an injury as that makes it much more potentially serious than property damage.

    So long as you 2 have exchanged insurance details then that is about as much as I would expect to happen. It is certainly my experience from 4 decades of driving.

    The one thing I would not have done is get involved in directing the traffic - you are puting yourself potentially into harms way.

    Respect for keeping your cool under the circumstances - I have seen plenty of people have all sorts of bad reactions (shock, anger, fear) when it is really just another bad thing to happen but hardly the end of the world.

    The insurance should be straightforward as he hit the back of you and these are almost always a clear cut case of the rear cars fault.