Frequently Asked Questions
Find below some helpful tips about what you should do if you are involved in a road traffic accident. If you cant find what you are looking for, please get in touch.
FAQ’s
What to do immediately after the accident
- It’s against the law to drive away following an accident.
- Turn off the engine.
- Switch the hazard lights on.
- Check for any injuries to yourself or your passengers.
- If it's a minor collision and there are no injuries, make a note of it just in case the other people later try to claim for an injury.
- Call the police and an ambulance immediately if anyone is hurt or if the road is blocked.
- Try to remain as calm as possible – its normal to be shaken after an accident.
- Take a few deep breaths and try to take stock of the situation the best you can without losing your temper.
- Don't apologise or admit responsibility for the crash until you're completely aware of what happened – this can protect you from liability if it wasn't your fault.
Exchange details with anyone involved in the accident (including witnesses). Get their:
- Name
- Address
- Telephone number
- Vehicle registration number
FAQS
What should I record at the accident scene?
It’s understandable to feel shaken after a car crash. Try to stay calm and remember to take down as many details as possible to help you later. You can use your phone to take pictures of the scene, the positions of the cars involved, and damage to the cars.
If you have a dash cam in your car, store the incident details and video footage. These could be used later to help decide who was liable, if required.
For all the vehicles and people involved in the accident, take down the following details or photos:
- Make
- Model
- Colour
- Number plate
- Time and date of the crash.
- Driving conditions, lighting and weather.
- Road quality, such as road markings, whether its wet or muddy, repair of the road surface.
- What sort of damage was caused to the vehicles.
- Where the damage is, for example nearside front wing and door (nearside is the left side of your car, offside is the driver's side).
Any injuries to drivers, passengers, or pedestrians.
- Name
- Address
- Telephone number
FAQS
How to avoid car crash scams
You'll be less likely to be involved in such a scam if you keep your eyes open and:
- Be especially careful in stop to start traffic, at merging junctions and roundabouts.
- Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front.
- Be wary of erratic driving behaviour such as slowing for no reason.
- Take note if their brake lights don't seem to be working and increase your distance.
Some drivers install dash-cams to show their innocence against a crash-for-cash claim. These can be very helpful in establishing proof of a crash-for-cash claim.
