Car crash-help

dave35
dave35 Posts: 1,124
edited September 2016 in The cake stop
Involved in a small car accident yesterday, I took photos of the damage-didn't come out as it was dark. I also took a pic of the other persons number plate but didn't realise I missed the first letter of the plate.
I asked if he was insured,told me he was but wouldn't give details and wants to pay for the damage to my car-should I report the accident to the police? If so is it my local police or police near to the accident.
I was at a red light about to turn left on a filter,he was turning right on his filter green light. As I pulled away from behind an adavanced stop box(for cycles) he cut the corner causing us to hit each other-his rear door pretty smashed up but jus damage to my plastic bumper.
Only asking as in 16 years of driving it's my first accident-I don't deem to be my fault.

Comments

  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    1. Yes of course you should report to the police, any police station will do. They will easily be able to trace the driver with just one letter missing from the reg.
    2. It's an offence not to give details, and it's a pretty big alarm bell.
    3. I may be wrong here, but I'm fairly sure you can't both have had a filter - a filter implies you have exclusive right of way. If you did both have a green light, you have right of way as you were turning left.
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,946
    Have a look around the junction to see if it's covered by CCTV. It could be that the police already have the evidence on camera. The only problem with that is that it can be a double edged sword, everyone thinks they are in the right, and I'd want to to be quite sure that I was before progressing it to police level.

    As Bomp says, it's an offence not to give your details at the scene, and I had a feeling that it might be an offence not to report it to the police, but Thames Valley say not...

    http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/faq-answer?id=Q425

    HOWEVER, it does say in there "If both parties stopped at the scene and exchanged names and addresses". You didn't.

    Some good info here as well...

    http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/ ... -insurance


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • figbat
    figbat Posts: 680
    You have 24 hours to report the accident, after that an offence is committed.

    For the number plate, there are only <26 options to try, so go to somewhere like the DVLA's road tax checking service and start with A until you get a match for the car type and colour; this will tell you if a car is taxed and MOTed. The chances of there being two of the same make, model and colour with near-identical plates is slim. You can also use the MIB database to see if they were insured.

    https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/
    http://www.askmid.com/askmidenquiry.aspx
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  • dave35
    dave35 Posts: 1,124
    Recorded with my insurance company,they say no need to contact the police as no injuries occurred. He is insured as I found the full number plate. No response from him via telephone so I will wait and see. Damage to my car is bumper only which will cost £100 to replace which is less than my excess.
  • fudgey
    fudgey Posts: 854
    Enter reg here and it will tell you if a vehicle is on the insurance database. Bit late now but for future reference.

    https://ownvehicle.askmid.com
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