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There are over 133,000 casualties due to accidents on British roads (according to the UK Government’s Report on road casualties in Great Britain, provisional estimates: year ending June 2023). It's therefore crucial to understand what to do if you become involved in a collision or traffic accident of any kind.
Our article highlights the 8 key steps to take if you are involved in an accident in the UK.
Before anything else, stop the car in a safe location if it has not already stopped. Failure to stop, even if you think you’re the only vehicle involved, could result in hefty penalties including up to 10 points on your driving licence.
Turn off your ignition and turn on your hazard lights to notify other road users. Check whether you or any of your passengers are injured. If no one is seriously injured and you can safely do so, leave the vehicle and go to a safe location.
Call 999 for an ambulance if anyone is injured and keep an eye out for signs of concussion or whiplash. If you start to feel unwell or are concerned about any of your passengers following an accident, always seek medical help.
If you have access to an emergency kit in your car, it may include a high-visibility jacket and a warning triangle. Put on the high-vis jacket to make yourself visible to passing motorists and place the warning triangle around 45 metres from the vehicle to warn oncoming motorists if you’re blocking the road or in an unexpected place for approaching motorists. Always take great care when placing or retrieving them, and never use them on motorways.
The police must be notified of any road accident within 24 hours of it occurring, regardless whether other vehicles are involved. If you do not need immediate assistance you can call the police on 101 to advise them of the accident.
You should seek immediate assistance by calling 999 in the following circumstances:
The police will take your details and those of any other drivers, witnesses and owners of any damaged property. They will ask drivers to complete a breathalyser test in all accidents where somebody has been hurt and possibly other tests depending on the accident and its cause. Then they will file a report. You might need the reference number for your insurance provider.
If there is anyone else involved in the accident, for example, a pedestrian, another driver, cyclist or owner of damaged property, you will need to exchange contact details, including name, address, contact number, registration, make and model and insurance details.
If you have hit any property in the absence of the owner, such as a fence or a parked car, you must leave a note with your contact details.
Take notes detailing registration numbers, makes model and colours of other vehicles involved, the time and date of the accident, weather and road conditions and any other factors that could have affected your driving.
Write a list of damage to any vehicles and property, a description of any injuries to those involved and the position of any vehicles, including your own, as well as a brief description of the incident. Ensure you note the contact details for any witnesses.
Take photographs if you’re able, so you have a visual record of the accident including the scene as a whole, road markings where possible, and damage to your and other vehicles road furnishings and property. Also it is wise to have photographic evidence of any injuries if possible.
A dashcam fitted in your vehicle filming the road ahead of you can be useful in the case of an accident and purchased affordably from various retailers including Halfords.
If you have a fleet of vehicles and are interested in fitting dashcams or other systems helpful in the case of accidents, please get in touch with us on 0333 221 0000.
If it is safe to do so, having exchanged details at the scene and taken the necessary photographs and notes, you should move the vehicle to a safe location, where it is not blocking the road.
Your vehicle might be capable of being driven, depending on the severity of the accident but if not then you may need to pull it to a layby or verge until you can get roadside assistance.
If you are unable to move the vehicle or it is unsafe, apply your hazards and warning triangle. The police will normally cone and tape the scene and divert traffic if necessary. If you are unable to move the vehicle and it is safe to do so you should remove your personal belongings from the car.
If you have breakdown cover, notify your provider as soon as you know that you’re unable to move the vehicle and they can retrieve it and take it to a nearby garage. You might have breakdown cover as part of your insurance and if so you should contact your provider and they will be able to direct you to the correct team.
You don’t have to make a claim on your insurance if the damage is minimal and you’re happy to cover the cost of any repairs yourself, protecting your no claims bonus in the process.
If your car is a company car, your employer will make this decision.
If you are making a claim for repairs then you should notify your insurer as soon as possible. They will ask you to provide them with details of the accident, as well as any other parties involved and witness details. Regardless of whether you make a claim, you should still notify your insurance provider in case anyone else involved in the accident tries to make a claim against your policy.
Please note, if your vehicle is a company car and insured through a fleet policy then you should speak to your fleet manager before notifying the insurer as your business’ process may be slightly different.
If your vehicle is a company car then you will need to let your fleet manager know of any accident you are involved in. This may be someone within your business or an external contact, for example if the policy is managed by a third party like Xcite.
We recommend that you keep the contact details for your fleet management contact in the vehicle or on your phone so that you are easily able to reach them even if it is outside of office hours.
If you are leasing a vehicle then as well as the above steps you should also notify the lease funder. If your lease was arranged by Xcite then you can give us a call on 0333 221 0000 and we can confirm the correct contact details for you to get in touch with your provider or notify them for you.
You should never leave the scene of an accident without stopping, no matter how minor you think it is. This is a criminal offence and can result in serious penalties against you.
Try not to get annoyed even if you feel as if the accident was their fault. It’s important to remain calm and gather the necessary information.
You should also not admit responsibility for the accident. Who is at fault will be decided by the insurance companies if a claim is made and if you admit responsibility at the scene then this could be factored into their decision. Exercise empathy, however avoid apologising.
While not a legal requirement in the UK, in some European countries a driver pack or accident pack is mandatory. If your car does not come with one of these it’s wise to purchase one for your vehicle in the case of an accident or trips abroad.
The claim process timescale depends on various factors but your insurance provider will look to settle this as quickly as possible for you.
Check out one of our helpful guides or our explaination of leasing to get all your questions answered.
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