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Original poster

Police letter after accident HELP!

135 replies

Iwa80 · 09/08/2018 14:50

Hi all,

Sorry please help.
A few weeks ago I was driving in heavy traffic, and a car infront of me didn't move forward on a green light but instead reversed and I didn't stop in time. I very lightly possibly clipped the bumper but not 100% certain. The lady in front told me to drive to a side street to assess any damage. We looked and I saw there was a hairline gap on one side of a otherwise fully detached bumper.
Anyway my English isn't very good (someone else writing this thread for me) and I told her to wait for my husband to sort it out. I just gave her my name.

Moments later my husband driving nearby came. As he's the main policyholder, was not in a particularly good mood. We both felt (my husband and I) that we were being swindled by an opportunist claimer.

My husband ordered me to leave, and since i had my small child age 5 who was desperately needing the toilet and wanted to go home I left everything in the hand of my husband. I thought he'd sort it out. I then saw both the lady and my husband were arguing and left the scene. Moments later I rang my husband to ask did he leave her my details. He said no, and then he went straight back to the scene moments later after he'd left too, about 5 mins after me, and found her and gave her our full details.

However in the midst of us leaving the scene she managed to call the police. However in front of the police who were listening on the phone while the call was still live, they heard and therefore witnessed a full exchange of details.

It was never my intention to leave without giving details and because of the pressures of my child, my husbands temper and my broken English I left it to my husband. I am annoyed that he was moronic enough to leave without giving her anything but at least he did go back.

However I have received a letter from the police investigating, and trying to apply 'driving with due care, not stopping at scene, not reporting accident'.... none of which is true because we did stop, exchange details and i reported later to my insurance that evening. With the driving, I am adamant I hardly touched her car.

Incidentally our suspicions were confirmed and the lady has claimed WHIPLASH' from my insurance. The damage to her car was so minimal at speeds of just 2-5mph and looked like it had been done somewhere else. You would have to look hard at her bumper to notice it had been damaged, and the car was a 12 year old Kia Rio, one of the smallest cheapest cars to drive.

I am petrified that despite exchanging details in the end I will still get 6 points on my licence and an extra fine I cannot afford, all because an opportunist wants to ruin our life as much as possible.

Can anyone please advise?

OP posts:
NicoAndTheNiners · 09/08/2018 16:25

I never actually claimed for whiplash.

Her insurance company asked me if I was ok, I honestly told them my neck was hurting. They said they’d ring back in a few weeks to see if I was better and if not they’d sort out physio for me. They didn’t actually ring back for about 8 weeks. They rang back I said it was now fine but it had hurt for about six weeks.

They said they’d like to offer me money rather than me go through a solicitor.....which I doubt I’d have bothered doing to be honest. I thought they’d offer me about £200 and I thought I’d say yes because I know my insurance premium will rise next year even though I have protected NCB and it wasn’t my fault. They came back and offered me 2k! I wasn’t going to say “that seems a lot”!

Nicknacky · 09/08/2018 16:25

bobdy I also jumped out of the car, injury isn’t always instant and that doesn’t mean she wasn’t injured. I received quite a substantial payout and at first glance my car didn’t even look damaged.

And no, you don’t get points because police are called to a crash.

NicoAndTheNiners · 09/08/2018 16:26

That last message was for Thierry

TooTrueToBeGood · 09/08/2018 16:27

Leaving the scene is leaving the scene unfortunately and the onus is on the driver to stay at the scene and swap details, not their husband or any other substitute. You may feel you are being treated unfairly because the law is being applied literally but that is generally how laws work.

Why was your husband arguing with the other driver anyway? If you read your policy it will say that you should not accept blame in the event of an accident. The other driver's policy says the same, they all do. On that basis there is never any point arguing the toss at the scene of an accident. You make sure everybody is OK, call the police if merited, swap details, take photos, get names of witnesses if you can then say goodbye. Arguing serves no purpose whatsoever other than to turn things sour. It also sounds very much like your husband was trying to avoid giving her the insurance details and whether you like it or not she is under no obligation to agree to let you arrange the repair privately.

I think you have far bigger problems being married to a man you describe yourself as being in fear of but that is a whole other thread.

CalonGlas · 09/08/2018 16:28

Your English may supposedly be 'broken' but you speak fluent GoadyFuckery.

ChocolateWombat · 09/08/2018 16:28

Agree that this isn't fun banter, but rude and aggressive. Also, these replies are rather fast for someone who is having to translate and type up the OP's thoughts, bearing in mind the translator presumably would need to translate each post on here too. It's pretty hard to engage in banter when someone is translating....just seems like a rude Op really - who is a bit worried she's in trouble and hoping to wriggle out of it.

Jaxhog · 09/08/2018 16:30

What is with everyone claiming whiplash? I've been re-ended twice, and neither time did I claim whiplash. Are we really all such snowflakes? Or just greedy opportunists?

Wait for the 'car hire' charges. That'll be next.

Original poster
Iwa80 · 09/08/2018 16:32

OK guys thank you for your input...genuinely nothing personal apologies for rudeness.

In summary we provided details at scene....there was confusion in the way we did it, but technically details were exchanged. I'll let you know of outcome in the months it takes to conclude.

I guess honest mistakes are not exempt from prosecution even though intentions were there. We are not bad people though, money for repairs was genuinely offered. If physio's and accident investigators determine she's been injured at such a low speed touch impact at lights then I guess I have to go with the guilty outcome.

really don't want those points.

OP posts:
NicoAndTheNiners · 09/08/2018 16:33

What is with everyone claiming whiplash? I've been re-ended twice, and neither time did I claim whiplash. Are we really all such snowflakes? Or just greedy opportunists?

But did you have whiplash?

Lepetitpiggy · 09/08/2018 16:33

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Nicknacky · 09/08/2018 16:33

I claimed as I had months of physio and I had a financial loss (only about £400) which I wanted compensated for. I got 4.5k

I have no issue with people being compensated when they suffer injury at the hands of others?
.

NicoAndTheNiners · 09/08/2018 16:33

You won’t get points, would be amazed if you did.

Original poster
Iwa80 · 09/08/2018 16:33

Jaxhog,

Because you sir are a morally decent person. I too never claimed once a lorry hit me at a petrol station forecourt. (But I can be a tw*t on web forums though Wink)

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 09/08/2018 16:34

OP, you DIDNT exchange the details that you were legally required to. That’s the issue.

Original poster
Iwa80 · 09/08/2018 16:35

Nico,

cheers mate lets see what happens. I wouldn't be surprise did i did though.

OP posts:
Hercules12 · 09/08/2018 16:35

But there was no confusion. You left the scene of an accident. Your dh is neither here nor there as wasn't the driver. He sounds horrible btw. I hope he wasn't aggressive to the other woman.

Nicknacky · 09/08/2018 16:35

OP, I take exception for you “morally decent” comment. I’m extremely morally decent person but I still claimed after an accident.

Original poster
Iwa80 · 09/08/2018 16:36

OP, you DIDNT exchange the details that you were legally required to. That’s the issue.

correction

OP, you DIDNT exchange the details WHEN you were legally required to. That’s the issue.

yes by a fraction of 2 minutes leaving and returning to scene.

OP posts:
TheHodgeoftheHedge · 09/08/2018 16:37

@CalonGlas
Your English may supposedly be 'broken' but you speak fluent GoadyFuckery.

You win post of the thread! Smile

FrancisCrawford · 09/08/2018 16:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

purplecorkheart · 09/08/2018 16:37

Unfortunately, those two minutes count.

KoolAidPickle · 09/08/2018 16:38

My question is how can I been seen as intentionally leaving the scene when we did actually give the details?

because you did. You, the driver who had the accident (and who was at fault) left the scene, and then the person you left behind to deal with it also left the scene, all without giving the details. So you were guilty of the charge of leaving the scene. Your husband did then return to the scene after you told him to and then exchanged details. This does not alter what had already occurred.

FuckPants · 09/08/2018 16:38

You left the scene, it doesn't matter if you returned and it doesn't matter one iota what your husband did/didn't do, you were the driver.

Hercules12 · 09/08/2018 16:38

I've reread your first post. You never went back at all. Your dh went back at some point later.

Nicknacky · 09/08/2018 16:39

You have never given her the vehicle registration details or insurance as required by law as there was injury sustained.