Rear-ended at low speed - is it worth getting the car looked at by a garage?

jrtfan

I was driving along a rural B-road earlier today and saw some pheasants crossing the road up ahead of me, so I slowed to a halt to let them finish crossing. A couple of seconds later, the car which had been following me collided with the rear bumper of my car. The impact wasn't massive because the other driver had seen my brake lights and said she knew that I was slowing down, but that she herself had been looking at the pheasants and hadn't realised I'd actually stopped.

On quick inspection of both cars, there was some cosmetic damage to the bottom of the other car's front grille and a bit of paint was chipped on their front bumper. On my car, the painted bit underneath the rubber rear bumper also had a couple of chips in the paintwork.

We exchanged details anyway and my insurer's claims line was already closed by the time I reached home, so I can't report the incident until tomorrow.

What I'm wondering now is whether or not the collision could have buckled the floor of my car's boot and if it did, would it necessarily have to be fixed in order for the car to be safe to drive. I don't know if I should ask the garage to take a look at it or if this would be a waste of everyone's time. The flecks of paint will be easy enough to conceal with a paint touch-up pen, so I'm not worried about these.

The other driver couldn't have been going faster than 5-10mph when she hit me.

Would anybody have any advice, please?

Thank you.

DUTR

Don't forget your whiplash and 3 weeks off work.

Strider590

If they've got dashcam you could be in trouble. I've had to avoid collisions on two occasions, where the drivers thought that "vermin" (squirrels) were more valuable than human beings.

And

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/12/18/woman-ducks-montreal-highway-sentence_n_6346034.html

jrtfan

Hmmm, well thanks for that! Fortunately I was still sitting in my car and pressing the brake pedal when the impact happened, so I'll count my lucky stars.

What to do about the car, though?

[Deleted User]

Speak to your insurance and they will give you details of a garage to take the car to be checked, there may/maynot be hidden damage.
The garage will find out.

jbainbridge

I presume you continued your journey without issue ... it's probably fine to drive. If you are in the RAC/AA etc. perhaps ask someone to come out and have a quick look - we've done that before.

chrisw

It's unlikely to be unsafe to drive, but I would definitely get somebody to look underneath and behind the bumper to check for damage. Plastic bumpers tend to push in and spring back out and hiding any damage behind them.

Strider590

EddieKidd wrote: »

Why will he be in trouble? He was able to stop.

Because stopping for an animal at the possible expense of human life, IS NOT an acceptable reason to stop.


http://www.theinjurylawyers.co.uk/injury-lawyers-blog/2013/03/19/rules-for-emergency-stop-for-an-animal/

I personally won't stop for anything smaller than a small dog and where cats are concerned slowing can actually make it worse, as they're very capable of timing their suicide leap to go between two cars.

I ran over a squirrel 3 weeks ago, felt it go under 2 wheels, parked up, grabbed a large rubber mallet from the garage and went back to put it out of it's misery, but there wasn't much left.

agrinnall

Strider590 wrote: »

Because stopping for an animal at the possible expense of human life, IS NOT an acceptable reason to stop.


http://www.theinjurylawyers.co.uk/injury-lawyers-blog/2013/03/19/rules-for-emergency-stop-for-an-animal/

Well, I don't think the blog entry quoted (hardly a definitive source in the first place) actually says that anyway. And when driving on a minor rural road it would seem sensible to be aware that animals may be in the road and that other drivers may stop for them, the fault for this incident lies entirely with the second driver who wasn't paying enough attention.

Quentin

Definitely get it looked at properly.


That energy (when she hit you) had to go somewhere!

Ectophile

Strider590 wrote: »

Because stopping for an animal at the possible expense of human life, IS NOT an acceptable reason to stop.


http://www.theinjurylawyers.co.uk/injury-lawyers-blog/2013/03/19/rules-for-emergency-stop-for-an-animal/

I personally won't stop for anything smaller than a small dog and where cats are concerned slowing can actually make it worse, as they're very capable of timing their suicide leap to go between two cars.

I ran over a squirrel 3 weeks ago, felt it go under 2 wheels, parked up, grabbed a large rubber mallet from the garage and went back to put it out of it's misery, but there wasn't much left.

According to that article, small animals or birds are not a good reason for an emergency stop. You've made the assumption that the OP suddenly jammed on the brakes and so caused the accident.

I see no reason why you shouldn't make a controlled stop to avoid having bits of dead bird spattered all over the front of the car.