NEED URGENT ADVICE - Hit & Run

wowman

Hey guys,

Short and sweet, as I need to make a decision within the next 20 hours. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I was involved in a hit & run, and I don't know what to do

Story: Some idiot behind me on a mobile phone was driving too close to me. I had to emergency stop on a country road because a van took a middle road position, and he went into the back of me. He immediately REVERSED (yes, you read that right) about 100 meters @ around 15+mph, did a U-turn and sped off. I got out my car and tried to chase him (and I started recording on my phone), but couldn't catch him.

I have the first letter of his reg, his year (07 plate), and his car description (VW golf, black). I phoned the police 101 and they said I need to go into a branch to report it. I gave my details such as address and Reg number (I don't know why they need this when they still want me to come into the station -.-).

My car looks completly fine tbh, no marks on the plastic bumper, no damage to the rear crash bar. Drives fine. Worried about hidden damage, but nothing seems apparent.

What do I do? Should I go to the station and do anything else? Or just leave it. I don't want any black marks on my name in any system.

Thanks for your advice!

Quentin

You have to report road incidents in person to the police (by phone is not acceptable)


But if there is no damage then there is no need.

Nobbie1967

Take it to a garage and ask them to check for any damage. If they find none, then mention it to your insurance company and get on with your life. If there's damage, get an estimate for repair and decide whether to pay yourself or go through the insurance. I don't think you've got any chance of finding the other driver. Sounds like they may have been driving uninsured, hence the quick get away.

dannyrst

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

Take it to a garage and ask them to check for any damage. If they find none, then mention it to your insurance company and get on with your life. If there's damage, get an estimate for repair and decide whether to pay yourself or go through the insurance. I don't think you've got any chance of finding the other driver. Sounds like they may have been driving uninsured, hence the quick get away.

Why would you mention it to your insurers if there is no damage. Just leave it be.

Nobbie1967

dannyrst wrote: »

Why would you mention it to your insurers if there is no damage. Just leave it be.

It's a condition of insurance to report all incidents. Who's to say the other car wasn't damaged? That's what you 'should' do, but I accept that most wouldn't bother.

Nasqueron

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

It's a condition of insurance to report all incidents. Who's to say the other car wasn't damaged? That's what you 'should' do, but I accept that most wouldn't bother.

The problem for the other driver will be, even if he makes up some story like she reversed into him because of the tractor, he will have to admit he fled the scene without giving details, knowing there was an accident so it seems unlikely he'd admit it to his own insurance.

If no damage, beyond reporting him on the off chance he gets found and gets his fine/points, don't see what else you can do. I have twice seem dashcam videos following a crash where the driver has been able to follow the vehicle while the passenger is on the phone to the police but beyond that, not much you can do (one was a bump from a van, the other a serious crime where a woman overtook on the wrong side of the road going around a pedestrian island and hit an old man and they filmed her all the way until she stopped so they could prove she was driving even though she denied hitting anyone)

wymondham

not much help other to say front & rear dashcams would help here....

Tothepoint.

Nasqueron wrote: »

The problem for the other driver will be, even if he makes up some story like she reversed into him because of the tractor, he will have to admit he fled the scene without giving details, knowing there was an accident so it seems unlikely he'd admit it to his own insurance.

If no damage, beyond reporting him on the off chance he gets found and gets his fine/points, don't see what else you can do. I have twice seem dashcam videos following a crash where the driver has been able to follow the vehicle while the passenger is on the phone to the police but beyond that, not much you can do (one was a bump from a van, the other a serious crime where a woman overtook on the wrong side of the road going around a pedestrian island and hit an old man and they filmed her all the way until she stopped so they could prove she was driving even though she denied hitting anyone)

Or he says the OP made off.

Since the effort has been made to contact the police, they may as well follow it through.

arcon5

And in the guys great escape at what point did he stop to make a note of ops registration?

Strider590

OP, just so you understand, even if you find this person, your insurance premiums are going to go through the roof because your now a high risk driver (purely for being involved in an accident), so you need to decide whether this is worth pursuing or not.

Insurance companies have grown wise to the trend of "brake testing" tailgaters and as a result they treat anyone involved in a rear end collision as being higher risk.

shaun_from_Africa

arcon5 wrote: »

And in the guys great escape at what point did he stop to make a note of ops registration?

If they had a dashcam in their car then they wouldn't have needed to make a note of anything.