Hi everyone. I’m a very new driver (still in my first month on the road) and I’ve just been told by a company I did a day placement with (through agency) that I apparently hit a fence post whilst turning in an industrial estate in an 12t rigid. It’s possible this did happen (I was on that estate when it’s said to have happened) but I honestly don’t remember hitting/bumping anything! Didn’t feel, see or hear anything and I even got out and checked before manoeuvring to ensure I had room (I’m still getting used to the size of the trucks).
I’ve been told this has been passed to the police as I didn’t stop or report it but I didn’t even know it had happened. Now I’m bricking myself that I’m going to get a costly fine, points on my licence and/or prosecuted.
I believe it’s only an offence to leave the scene of an accident if you are aware of it. I don’t think bumping a post counts.
Don’t stress, no one died and if it’s just a post, the police won’t care!
Pictures, videos, witnesses ?
Concrete (post [emoji6]) Evidence ?
You know that you were there, but so were loads of other Lorries !
Did someone actually see you hit it ?
Or did someone simply clock your number & reported you for some old damage ?
Newbie66:
I’ve been told this has been passed to the police as I didn’t stop or report it but I didn’t even know it had happened. Now I’m bricking myself that I’m going to get a costly fine, points on my licence and/or prosecuted.
As far as I’m aware it’s only an offence to leave the scene of an accident if there is someone injured in the accident, in your case the offence is failing to report the accident within 24 hours but you can’t report an accident if you didn’t know it happened, so stop worrying because you are not going to be charged with failing to report the accident unless they can prove you knew about it.
1st thing to do is admit nothing,let them prove it happened if your not sure it did…could just be using your reg to try and claim for something that has been hit but they have no idea who did it,believe me it happens a lot!
Unless they present proof then why take the blame for something you may not of even done.
I doubt anything will come of it. Just look at the state of some yards, all smashed up. I hit one of the walls in the Whitgift centre in Croydon, heard nothing about it. Caught the tail end as I went to turn.
Evil8Beezle:
I believe it’s only an offence to leave the scene of an accident if you are aware of it. I don’t think bumping a post counts.
Don’t stress, no one died and if it’s just a post, the police won’t care!
A lad I worked with before had this happen to him, he ended up In court and received 7 points.
Evil8Beezle:
I believe it’s only an offence to leave the scene of an accident if you are aware of it. I don’t think bumping a post counts.
Don’t stress, no one died and if it’s just a post, the police won’t care!
A lad I worked with before had this happen to him, he ended up In court and received 7 points.
I found this on a legal site, although I’m not sure the police would be too thrilled if you reported every accident to them that caused damage…ie: pretty much every one of them. The defence mentioned at the end I think qualifies in this case.
If an accident takes place, and either damage or personal injury is caused, then the driver of the vehicle at the time is required to stop at the scene of the accident and hand over their details and their insurance policy number to others present who may wish to have that information. Failing to stop at the scene of an accident is an offence under Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
There is a further obligation (even if you do stop and provide your details) to report any accident that results in injury or damage to a Police Station as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within a maximum of 24 hours. Failing to report an accident is again another offence under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
In either case, no offence is committed if the driver could not have reasonably appreciated that there had been an accident.
The police might if they have time have a look at said fence post, but they’ll want CCTV to show the accident took place. If there were witnesses, they’ll want to know why they didn’t attempt to tell you about the accident. As long as there’s no evidence of you stopping to have a look then I really wouldn’t worry.
When my g/f car was hit in a car park, the police went to the supermarket to check for CCTV but since there wasn’t any they couldn’t do anything and even then they said the best they could realistically do was inform the other driver to contact their insurance.
Just remember, deny everything and do not under any circumstances sign anything which states that you had an accident especially from the employer or agency as they’ll be trying to get you to own up and potentially not have to claim on their insurance - could get messy. If they send anything, keep it but don’t reply would be my advice and if the agency call about it, tell them you’ll be seeking legal advice against the other company…should shut them up. People will try all sorts of tactics, but threatening potential legal action generally makes them think again.
Finally - my thinking is they knew you were a new driver and thus they figure they might be able to pin this on you and get you to pay for previous damage!
Evil8Beezle:
I believe it’s only an offence to leave the scene of an accident if you are aware of it. I don’t think bumping a post counts.
Don’t stress, no one died and if it’s just a post, the police won’t care!
A lad I worked with before had this happen to him, he ended up In court and received 7 points.
What did he hit… something more than a post …
Funnily enough it was a post (turning into a customers yard) he denied it to he was blue in the face, ended up going to court and got a nice fine and seven points on his licence…
Evil8Beezle:
I believe it’s only an offence to leave the scene of an accident if you are aware of it. I don’t think bumping a post counts.
Don’t stress, no one died and if it’s just a post, the police won’t care!
A lad I worked with before had this happen to him, he ended up In court and received 7 points.
What did he hit… something more than a post …
Funnily enough it was a post (turning into a customers yard) he denied it to he was blue in the face, ended up going to court and got a nice fine and seven points on his licence…
I still think there is a bit more to that story/incident!
Maybe some evidence or a witness what proves beyond doubt that he was well aware that he hit the post…
Evil8Beezle:
I believe it’s only an offence to leave the scene of an accident if you are aware of it. I don’t think bumping a post counts.
Don’t stress, no one died and if it’s just a post, the police won’t care!
A lad I worked with before had this happen to him, he ended up In court and received 7 points.
What did he hit… something more than a post …
Funnily enough it was a post (turning into a customers yard) he denied it to he was blue in the face, ended up going to court and got a nice fine and seven points on his licence…
Who took him to court?
The police wouldn’t of done that’s for sure,also 7 points & a fine for hitting apiece of street furniture sounds like a RDC story to me.
The land owner reported it to the police, they was 11 of us at the workplace definitely not a “RDC story” but hey what do I know I only worked with him for 4 years
