What to do after a road traffic accident

WHETHER or not the accident was your fault, if you have been involved in a traffic accident you must

Anyone, other than yourself, is injured; or

Another vehicle, or someone else’s property, is damaged; or

An animal in another vehicle or running across the road is injured; or

A bollard, street lamp or other item of street furniture is damaged.

You must remain near the vehicle long enough for anyone who is entitled to ask for details to do so, for example, the police or anyone involved in the accident and give your name and address, the name and address of the owner of the vehicle (if you are not the owner) and the registration number of the vehicle.

These details must be provided to anyone having reasonable grounds for making such a request. This may include anyone involved directly or indirectly in the accident, for example, the owner of an animal, the relative of a person who is injured, someone whose vehicle has been damaged, or the police.

You may also have to report the accident, in person, to a police officer or at a police station, as soon as practicable and in any case within 24 hours.

This duty arises whenever you have not given your name and address at the scene of the accident, whether or not you were asked to do so.

The duty to stop and report an accident also includes situations where you were not driving at the time of the accident, for example, where you has temporarily left the vehicle and it subsequently rolls down a hill causing damage.

If any personal injury is caused to another person, you must also produce a valid insurance certificate if asked to do so by a police officer, injured person, or anyone else directly or indirectly involved in the accident.

If the insurance certificate is asked for, but not produced at the time, the accident must be reported to a police station as soon as practicable, or in any case within 24 hours and the insurance certificate must be taken to a police station within seven days of the accident.

However, if you are asked at the time of the accident to produce your insurance details, and you do so, you are under no further obligation to produce your insurance details to the police or to report the accident, as long as the conditions above have been met.

If there was no personal injury, you have to give your insurance details to anyone who may wish to make a claim against you. In all accidents, you should inform your own insurance company.

Note: for a small fee you can check whether another vehicle involved is insured from the Motor Insurers Bureau website: http://bit.ly/wokmid

You can get help, information and advice from your local

Citizens Advice or visit www. citizensadvicewokingham.org.uk or contact Citizens Advice Wokingham at Second Floor, Waterford House, Erftstadt Court, Wokingham RG40 2YF. Tel: 0300 330 1189. email: public@citizensadvicewokingham. org.uk