To be shocked at what’s just happened on the school run

[Molyka88]

So today after picking DCs up from school/nursery a car that was parked up close behind my car put their car into accelerate instead of reverse and ended up pinning me between my rear bumper and their front bumper whilst I was putting bags etc in the boot.

Mum in question did not realise one of my legs was taking the brunt of this until I was shouting to tell her to reverse.
She did apologise at the time, but didn’t get out of the car to ask if I was ok or anything like that!

I’ve got home now and my knee already is swollen and starting to bruise.. I’m also thinking this could have been a much worse accident if this was DS stood in between the car.

Fortunately a parent came over to check if I was ok and he did catch the incident on his dash cam.
So would you put this down as an unfortunate accident or do anything about it? I’m not even sure who or if I would report it too.

You have to report this my dear. The exact same 'accident' happened to me over 28 years ago. The woman reversed her car into the back of my legs whilst I was packing something away in the boot. Seconds earlier, my 2yo was right there with me. It could have been fatal. Both my knees swelled terribly. The paramedics had to cut my jeans off. I had ruptured the cruciate ligaments in both knees and it took me many, many months before I could walk properly without pain. I had to have physio. I still have a dodgy, swollen knee to this day. So please act on this. It was HER fault and her insurance will be able to compensate you with future medical help should you need it. Best wishes

You should do two things, one immediately and one later this evening when your dh is home.

Immediately - report this hit and run to the police. They will want to breathalyse the driver. Get the registration number form the chap that has the footage. If your knee is affected you will need to have done this to be able to claim on insurance

Later - go to hospital. You should do this today. You'll be in shock now and not feeling the pain. Hopefully all is well, but if there is an issue and you don't do anything about it now you will massively regret this in years to come. Again, if there is damage the fact that you had it checked on the day will be very helpful in any future action.

I had a similar incident in a supermarket with an elderly lady. She got out and shouted at me for being in front of her car (in front of my own boot) then drove off while a couple of passers by came to check I was ok. She was obviously panicking and in shock when she shouted but I still reported her. I had a fractured knee cap but was in a job I could still do so I never bothered suing her but it could have been a child so I didn't feel able to let it go without informing the police.

Granted it's been a while since I've driven a car but surely you would know if you hit someone? I don't get the posts saying she probably just thought you were warning her. I don't know how you couldn't know.

You probably want to downplay and minimise what's happened, as you're upset. Please do take it seriously and report to the police.

That’s awful. Report her. Some people are saying she might not know you are hurt! She didn’t notice which makes her a danger on the road. I hope you are ok

You might not know you hit someone if you were drunk. So yes, completely agree. I've bumped a bollard very very slowly, still felt it as did my ds.

Is there any way you can contact dash cam parent tonight to get the registration and report it tonight? If she is over the limit then reporting later won’t help as time will have passed and it will be out her system

Definitely report to police and say you want to bring charges. Its the only way such people will learn. A small child could have been very badly hurt.

@COPPER3

You have to report this my dear. The exact same 'accident' happened to me over 28 years ago. The woman reversed her car into the back of my legs whilst I was packing something away in the boot. Seconds earlier, my 2yo was right there with me. It could have been fatal. Both my knees swelled terribly. The paramedics had to cut my jeans off. I had ruptured the cruciate ligaments in both knees and it took me many, many months before I could walk properly without pain. I had to have physio. I still have a dodgy, swollen knee to this day. So please act on this. It was HER fault and her insurance will be able to compensate you with future medical help should you need it. Best wishes

This.

Also by moving around now you could increase the damage.

It will be 24 hours before the full swelling might come up.

My husband did his cruciate in with a one off kick a round🙄. Disaster.

Between waiting for the swelling to go down fully, surgery, physio, exercises.

No sport for nearly two years.

Get it check out thoroughly.

You should report this incident to the police. She failed to get out of her car and see the damage. A friend was summonsed when he touched the front corner of a lorry while turning. The lorry driver was in the cab and gave him the thumbs up, so my friend drove away. A policeman, by chance, observed the whole thing. The summons was for failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

Wow I'm not surprised you're shocked that's awful! Definitely go to the doctors and get checked out and tell them how it happened, it was basically a hit and run. I think if she'd apologised profusely, shown genuine remorse, not just verbally but with chocolates, flowers, wine, and if you had no lasting damage from the injury I'd be inclined to put it down to an accident and hope she'd learn to be more careful in future. The way she acted after the incident, just driving away and showing no concern, would make me want to take her to the cleaners over it.

She was close enough to your car to pin you against your bumper and she didn’t notice she’d done it- you’d only be about 6ft -max in front of her windscreen. Wow she really was paying no attention or was drunk. That’s awful.

I hope you are ok x

@daytriptovulcan

So you re the victim of a hit and run basically. Yes, its serious.

The OP said she apologised? Hardly hit and run ffs.

I'm sorry you had this happen to you, I think you need to report it to the police. Once she realised she hit you she should have checked up on you and given you her details. Please get yourself checked out.

Woah I have no idea why she was able to drive after that I wouldn’t be. I hope your ok. You need to go and get checked out. Also call the police and get it logged. What she did is disgusting.

Not sure what I would do. Personally, not sure i would go to the police. She made a mistake. She apologised. She didn't get out of the car. That was an error. She may not have realised how bad it was. I dont personally see what has to be gained by reporting her.

What a bloody idiot, I can't believe she didn't even leave her car to make sure you were ok.

I'm glad you're doing to report it OP, as others said if you had a small child next to you she could have killed them.

Hopefully there is no lasting damage to your legs.

Firstly get your knee checked out.
Get the dash cam off the other parent
Get her insurance details.
Either approach her insurers directly and ask what they are going to do about it (compensation wise)
Or instruct a personal injury solicitor. You may have legal cover on your home or motor policy

@neveradullmoment99

Not sure what I would do. Personally, not sure i would go to the police. She made a mistake. She apologised. She didn't get out of the car. That was an error. She may not have realised how bad it was. I dont personally see what has to be gained by reporting her.

Take someone who probably shouldn't be driving off the road?

@PurpleDaisies

Totally agree *@wombatspoopcubes*, the school has no power to investigate car accidents. I’m not sure what anyone would expect them to reasonably do.

I agree but it is still worth letting them know as they will put out a notification about it. I've complained about the driving of pupils, and of parents, at two different schools, and both have been responded to and dealt with by an upper school assembly (pupil) and I can't remember how they dealt with a parent one, maybe notes to the particular after school club they were collecting their child from.

I hope it's just bruising op. What a scary thing to happen! I remember my dad having a near miss, though his car was destroyed. He was getting some things out of his car boot to take to my sisters, just stepped back onto the pavement and a car ploughed into the back of his.

So sorry

Go to the police. Don't let the school talk you out of it. I'd just get the dash cam footage and go straight to the police, why tell the school at all?

This is absolutely appalling. Document everything.

I hope you feel better soon.

@neveradullmoment99 - the other driver hit the OP with her car, and left the scene without giving any of her details or even getting out of her car to check if the OP was OK. I think that sounds pretty damn close to hit and run.

At the very least, she was driving without care and attention and leaving the scene of an accident.

I really don’t think apologising makes anything she did acceptable - and I am pretty damn sure that if it had been you or your child pinned by this woman’s car, you would not be on her side.

To those questioning reporting to the police, many insurance companies will require an incident number before processing, so even if the police take no further action you still need to report.

OP this other women committed a serious driving offence, one that thankfully has had fairly minor consequences but could have been so different.
You must report this to the police, and your insurers also. This woman is a bloody disgrace and dangerous driver.
I hope your knee is ok