Car in ditch on hitting ice. URGENT advice please

grazie

Just gone off road after hitting black ice. I'm no expert, but I'm confident that the car is now a right off. I believe all tyres are still inflated (it was difficult to check) and the car can still be driven, but obviously not on public highways. Nobody else was involved and nobody was injured. I would rather not claim on my insurance as the car is not worth a lot.

I've got AutoAid recovery, so I need to decide where to have the vehicle recovered to and who would be best to contact (I'm sure some vehicle recoverers as worse than others) by tomorrow morning. I believe my best option would be to arrange recovery to my home address and worry about what to do with the car later. However, if the car isn't drivable, getting it onto my drive will be difficult/impossible.

Is there anything I've not considered?

Rolandtheroadie

Make sure AutoAid will recover you after an accident under your T&Cs.

Pretty sure other breakdown companies will recover you, but as it's an accident, they will look to recover the money from your insurer.

JayCartwright

You may find the police beat you to it and remove it themselves if you plan on leaving it overnight.

Iceweasel

What else, if anything, did you damage?

Street furniture, kerbstones, farmer's fence ..... ?

They will be seeking recompense for damages too.

As no one is injured you are not duty bound to report this - but as sure as eggs is eggs someone else will report it and the police will come checking that there is not someone still lying injured inside the car.

All sorts of suspicions may well be aroused - alcohol involvement for example.

Consider informing the police of the location and tell them you will be arranging recovery asap - but don't as yet know when.

Here in my part of rural Scotland the police won't arrange recovery if it's as far off the road as not be a hazard - they just put a big red sticker on the car saying 'Police Aware' so they don't get any more calls about it.

Good luck.

JayCartwright

Iceweasel wrote: »

What else, if anything, did you damage?

Street furniture, kerbstones, farmer's fence ..... ?

They will be seeking recompense for damages too.

As no one is injured you are not duty bound to report this - but as sure as eggs is eggs someone else will report it and the police will come checking that there is not someone still lying injured inside the car.

All sorts of suspicions may well be aroused - alcohol involvement for example.

Consider informing the police of the location and tell them you will be arranging recovery asap - but don't as yet know when.

Here in my part of rural Scotland the police won't arrange recovery if it's as far off the road as not be a hazard - they just put a big red sticker on the car saying 'Police Aware' so they don't get any more calls about it.

Good luck.

If there's damage to property he needs to.

Iceweasel

JayCartwright wrote: »

If there's damage to property he needs to.

Yes of course - but he/she hasn't come back to clarify - yet.

grazie

Some shrubs and small trees have been driven over. That's it as far as I could tell. I'm pretty sure these are natural and wouldn't have been planted. I don't believe this damage would require me contacting the police, but of course others may disagree.

Nasqueron

Rolandtheroadie wrote: »

Make sure AutoAid will recover you after an accident under your T&Cs.

Pretty sure other breakdown companies will recover you, but as it's an accident, they will look to recover the money from your insurer.

I was with the AA (via paid for bank account) and the sods wouldn't get my car out of a small ditch, said they would just get me quotes from a nearby garage to do it, was going to be something ludicrous like £180 to drive a couple of miles to me and tow it all of 2m back! Some nice guy in a pick-up truck stopped and pulled me out for nothing. Did scratch up the car a bit and brought forward my need to buy a new car as I didn't want to pay for repairs to a nearly 10 year old car

forgotmyname

Quite possible they were planted, but as above if the vehicle is left there the police may get a report and take a look. If its in a dodgy spot they may get it removed.

Your breakdown wont cover it, its an accident not a breakdown. If they do recover it they will want to claim costs from yourself or your insurance.

dacouch

If there's any possibility of any oil, fuel or any other chemicals leaking into the ditch, you may get a surprisingly large bill from the Environmental Agency. This will be covered by your car Insurance

PasturesNew

Iceweasel wrote: »

...the police will come checking that there is not someone still lying injured inside the car.
....

Or UNDER it!