Motoring – In a road collision

 

FAQ

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Motoring – In a road collision

I have been involved in a road collision. What should I do?

Serious injury/incident:
Report the matter to the police by phoning 999.

Damage only:
There is no need to report �damage only� collisions to the police as long as you exchange all your details including:

  • The registration numbers of your vehicles

  • The details of the drivers involved

  • Details of the registered keeper if they are different from the driver

  • Your insurance details (if requested)

If someone suffers minor injuries you have to exchange all the above details, including your insurance details, and you must report the matter to the police as soon as possible,
but in any case within 24 hours.

What will happen at the police station when I report the incident?

Don’t forget to take all your driving documents with you when you report the matter to the police – otherwise you will be issued with a form requiring you to produce them within
seven days.

At the police station a member of staff will help you fill in a report of the collision. If you need to speak to a police officer you may have to wait until someone is available.
While at the station, you may be asked to write a statement giving your version of the incident.

I think the driver of another vehicle has been drinking. What should I do?

If at any stage you have concerns over the behaviour of another driver, for example, if you think he/she has been driving while over the legal alcohol limit or is driving erratically,
you should contact the police as soon as possible.

My car has been damaged. What will happen to it?

In the interests of road safety, damaged vehicles should be removed from the scene as quickly as possible. If necessary, the police may call a garage to recover your vehicle
from the roadside. If this is done, any charges are payable by the owner of the vehicle. You can elect your own garage or the police will call the nearest garage.

Will the police prosecute in every case?

No – a driver may clearly be at fault but a decision to prosecute will not be automatic unless there is clear evidence of careless driving. The circumstances must involve more
than a momentary lapse in concentration or misjudgment. After due consideration of all the circumstances, a decision may be taken not to take court proceedings. If the police
do decide to prosecute, the Crown Prosecution Service will review that decision.

Will I be informed of the result of the police enquiry?

Where details of the collision have been recorded by the police, interested parties will be notified of the result, including whether legal proceedings are to be taken against
them.

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Motoring – Learner drivers

When can learner drivers drive on the road?

Generally, unless the vehicle is a motor cycle or constructed so as to only carry the driver, all provisional driving licence holders MUST, when driving on the road, be accompanied
by a full licence holder who is over 21 years of age and has held a full British or EEC licence for the class of that vehicle for a minimum of 3 years (a provisional licence
and ‘pass slip’ does not count).

The vehicle must also display ‘L’ plates on the front and rear of the vehicle.

When should drivers use �P’ plates?

Green ‘P’ plates may be displayed on a vehicle by a person who has recently passed his/her driving test. They are not obligatory.

What are the minimum ages for driving?

The following list is not exhaustive and is only a rough guide.

16 Years

  • Mopeds

  • Small invalid carriages

  • Mowing machines

  • Some agricultural tractors

  • Some small cars or vans if in receipt of a Mobility Allowance

17 Years

  • Motorcycles and scooters (with or without sidecar)

  • Cars/vans

  • Large agricultural tractors

  • Small road rollers

  • HGVs if armed forces

18 Years

  • Some small goods vehicles

  • Some large passenger vehicles under special circumstances

  • Some HGVs under special circumstances

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Motoring – Lost driving licence

What should I do if I have lost my driving licence?

You should contact the DVLA urgently for a duplicate. Failure to produce your driving licence could result in the matter being dealt with
by the magistrates court.

My driving licence has been seized. Who do I need to contact to get it back?

Any queries relating to driving licences which have been taken from a driver by a police officer or a court in relation to endorsable offences should be directed to: The Clerk
to the Justices of the court which covers the area where the offence happened.

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Motoring – No insurance

What if the other driver isn’t insured?

If you suffer injury, loss or damage to your property as a result of a road accident, compensation may be payable under insurance arrangements. Where the offender is untraced
or uninsured, compensation may be available from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, Linford Wood House, 6-12 Capital Drive, Linford Wood, Milton
Milton Keynes MK14 6XT, Tel: 01908 830001, which can consider claims for:

  • Personal injury, loss or damage to your property caused by an identified driver who is uninsured. This can include injury, loss or damage caused by an identified driver
    of a stolen vehicle where the rightful owner is uninsured.

  • Personal injury (but not loss or damage to property) caused by an untraced driver.

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