Had my first shunt for around 13 years & my first ever in a truck
Luckily it was very minor, small dent & scuffed paintwork… no-one injured.
Anyway we both stopped & exchanged details then the conversation went like this…
Him: I assume you are going to admit liability?
Me: I’m not admitting anything. Thats for the insurance co’s to sort out.
Him: Well, if you don’t I’ll call the police.
Me: Look mate, the first thing any insurance co tells you is not to admit to anything & that’s what I’m doing.
Him: Right then I’m calling them, you’ll have to wait here 'till they turn up.
Me: I don’t think so, I’ve done all I have to do & I’ve got work to do. You phone 'em if you want but I’m off.
With that he got in his car & I left… I don’t know if he actually did contact the police, up to now neither I or the firm I work for have heard anything but…
If he had called the police would I be legally obliged to wait, even though we had exchanged details?
I’ve done a trawl on the net & as far as I can see, in these circumstances, I did everything I had to do but some of these sites are a few years old & maybe things have changed■■?
I think you have done exactly the right thing. If he had called the police,I don’t think they would have been interested.IIRC,it is only if there are injuries or damage to third party property (fences,buildings,road signs etc) that you have to inform the police.
Your legal obligation when involved in an accident is to stop and exchange driver and vehicle details with the other parties, which you did. The police won’t be interested in sorting out liability which is what the chap you talk wanted sorting out. I wouldn’t have waited either. In fact, if the other bloke had refused his details I would have given mine to him then reported his failure to supply his details to the nearest police station, thus hitting him with a ‘fail to stop’ complaint.
Only time you need to call or wait for police to arive is if there is a fail to exchange or someone is injured apart from that i would have done same as you did.
tony66:
Only time you need to call or wait for police to arive is if there is a fail to exchange or someone is injured apart from that i would have done same as you did.
or if the other driver had clearly been drinking, that happened to me and the guy insisted the police came out, when the story unfolded the officer said there was nothing for him to do regarding the accident but due to fact he was now involved he had by law to breathalise both of us, the guy turned a funny colour and failed by a long way, me well i was as clean as a whistle
You have done just what is required, however if you wish to be dobly sure ring the police local to where the incident occured and report that it was merely a damage only bump and that you have exchanged details, thus coverin your back incase said numpty decides to lie and state you refused your details and drove off. No one has to admit liability and as you say its for the insurance to sort amongst themselves.
Greg:
incase said numpty decides to lie and state you refused your details and drove off.
Ohhh yeah ■■? So how would the numpty explain Melchett having all of his details ?
I can hardly see the police accepting that the numpty gave his details and then never bothered calling them immediately when the Other Driver refused to give his details.
You did the right thing Melchett, Had he called the police saying you were refusing to accept liability they would of told him that the insurance company would investigate the accident and decide, the police would of refused to attend as nobody was injured and no road was blocked.
This happened to me…Numpty (car driver) exchanged details with me and called police on his mobile standing in front of me, as he was chatting to them i said righto im off, byeee. His face was a picture, he started telling them as i walked away, i never heard a thing off old bill.
As a rule, police don’t attend “damage only” RTC’s on the motorway, they leave it for us to deal, make sure recovery(if needed) is sorted out etc. It’ll be the same on any other road as long as details are exchanged, it’s left for insurance companies to deal and the police don’t get involved unless motoring offences have been alleged.
Use your phone or camera and if you don’t have one, get one (disposable will do at a pinch).
Taking pictures of the position of the vehicles as they finished up, if that’s possible, and then of the damage to the other vehicle can be enormously useful if there is a dispute about liability, or the extent of the damage. If it was your fault, the act of taking the pics will keep the 3rd party honest so he won’t try to get a complete re-spray at your guvnor’s expense.
Remember that most hauliers have a huge excess on their policy so they will be paying for most claims themselves.
happened to me in my car, stuffed from behind, local bobby passed by on his way home, told me they only attend if a injury has occured, other than that its down to insurance companys.
Photos are a brill idea, one of the guys at our place tapped a car and only put a tiny dent in bumper, took photo and gave to boss, three weeks later insurance company wrote saying the other party claimed more damage, photo came through from them with gaffer tape all over front bumber and looked like holding headlight in. The other guy got done for a flase claim…
As for swapping details and leaving before cops got there, Good one, as far as I can tell you did the letter of the law, these drivers think if they get hit by a commercial they see a meal ticket to get that cracked lens replaced or that bumber they scuffed last week reversing out there garage replaced. All they see is a Company logo and a bottomless ■■■■■ and it can be afford to pay the claims.
I’d call the police if it was my personal car, if it was a truck its the last thing id want.
I’d call the police if it were my car, i know they wouldnt come out but its then logged on the system so if any nonsense about other driver having no insurance or not coperating at least there is something to start from, rather than reporting an accident three weeks later.
Someone ran into my parked car awhile back, i called the police, the police guy said did the right thing calling obviously we won’t be attending but now its on the system and you have reference number etc… so if they have no insurance or try to deny it we can get involved easilly.
I agree with Kenny, report it to local plod, but state you only need it logged on the system, a RAC patrol chap did this despite the desk Sergeant not being interested, and was a wee bit glad when someone had a slightly bigger accident the day after the fender bender and tried to claim from RAC, the patrolman could’ve/would’ve lost his job. 35mm disposable cameras are a godsend because if anything goes to court they are admissible as evidence whereas digital photos are not, unless you can prove they have not / could not have been tampered with.
Greg:
incase said numpty decides to lie and state you refused your details and drove off.
Ohhh yeah ■■? So how would the numpty explain Melchett having all of his details ?
I can hardly see the police accepting that the numpty gave his details and then never bothered calling them immediately when the Other Driver refused to give his details.
Think about it
Nice law abiding member of the public say “yes officer i was hit by the big lorry and so as is my legal obligation i gave the nice driver my details ( Which would exlain how Melchett has his details) However the nice lorry driver said well i’m not giving you my details and drove off officer”. Happens every day davey driver people do lie you know.
However a quick call to the local police means that he has reported the accident and given his details full stop, He doesn’t have to see the police merely report it over the phone
Think about it the other way around. How could Melchett prove that he had given his details■■? as he would have too if it went to court.
2 minute phone call or day in court?, even if when you phone up there not intrested you can then prove you have tried to report it
happened to me in my car, stuffed from behind, local bobby passed by on his way home, told me they only attend if a injury has occured, other than that its down to insurance companys. 
