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What are the consequences of not reporting an accident?

3 replies

CameronStrike · 15/10/2024 10:31

Back in the summer a road rage filled idiot drove into my car and dented my wing. There was no reason for it - he was furious that we pulled into a gap in front of him from the other lane in slow moving traffic and tried to drive round us, mounting a pedestrian crossing and smashing into my car. He refused to give any details but I got a photo of his number plate and the phone number of 2 witnesses, one of whom filmed him being aggressive then driving off. There were loads of witnesses waiting to cross the road! Anyway I reported it to the insurance company and eventually they got a payout from his insurance and I got my excess back and no claims restored. I have tried googling but I can't work out what likely happened to him. It's a criminal offence not to report an accident - would his insurer report him to police? Would they cancel his policy? Or just increase premiums and remove his no claims?
I don't really care but he was horrible and aggressive (shouted at DH and me, squared up to him, really nasty, coke/road rage type of behaviour) so it would make me happy to know that he would have had some unpleasant consequence to his actions.

thank you!

OP posts:
Ivymedication · 15/10/2024 11:06

I would say that there is probably no repercussions for them unfortunately.

I was knocked over 4 lanes on the motorway at 70mph by a lorry who drove on, was chased down by a fellow motorist who handed their details into the police station.

The lorry also proceeded to hit another car further up the motorway.

The police 3 years later are still refusing to prosecute due to lack of evidence. There are multiple witnesses and dash cam footage. Baffling! I've even been intimidated by an officer trying to make me change my statement to match his, saying where my car was hit. Luckily I had photos of the car from the scrap yard proving that I was the car that was hit....NOT that I drove into a lorry.

I'm lucky in that I walked away from an accident that should have been much much worse, but my belief in the police and justice system is gone.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 15/10/2024 11:19

Technically, yes, it's an offence to leave the scene without exchanging details, and you are supposed to report a collision to police within 5 days. Most of the time if it is just a minor collision the police leave it to the insurance companies to argue about culpability. If he's been reported for leaving the scene and he hasn't informed police, then it's normally a penalty points on the licence thing, although I expect that it's not the sort of thing police are overly concerned about if there are no injuries, no obstructions to traffic, no damage to public property, and both vehicles were still in a driveable state.

CameronStrike · 15/10/2024 11:39

Thank you. So the insurance company would report to police but police might do nothing. At least he would lose his no claims I guess :(

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