Witnessed an accident where driver didn't stop - what should I do?

luckyduck83

Car_54 wrote: »

And it still is, but it is not necessary for the OP to go around detecting crime.

I'm not "going around detecting crime". I witnessed a road traffic collision and am happy to assist the third party track down the driver who appeared to fail to stop.

EdGasketTheSecond

In my experience the police aren't interested in third-party information; they told me only the victim can report a crime/damage to their car; not me.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

luckyduck83 wrote: »

I don't know for sure that they failed to stop - it's not totally impossible they went back, but it didn't appear that way. Seems like a waste of time for the police (I always hear that they never investigate stuff anyway). I was hoping to get in touch with the third party to offer to act as a witness/pass them the footage if they wanted it.

As that's not possible, I'll do option 2.

Your guessing they could have come back.


This thread has gone to hell with arguments and conflicting advice of what you can and cant do.


Lets stick to the facts:
You seen an accident, it's appeared to you, there was a hit and run and it has you concerned, naturally.
You have footage of the incident and important evidential information that COULD lead to the discovery of the driver who committed the offence.
You have no entitlement to the information of the victim so you cannot check directly as to what the outcome was after you passed.
You CAN go to A police station, hand the footage in with a not giving consent, for police to forward your information on to the third party, If there has been a crime report generated of a hit and run at time and date of alleged incident, police will want to take a statement (you can decline if you wish) and you're footage is evidence to a potential crime.
If there is no report generated to police by the "victim", police may still contact the "victim" to inform them a witness to their incident has come forward with evidence they may wish to have (as above police can only pass on your info and evidence with your express written permission as per DPA2018), At this point, you're doing a good deed at the very least. If police do nothing then at least you tried. But my suspicion will be they will give it some effort. They will at least tell you there and then what can be done. This isn't going to affect the victims insurance police are unlikely to pass the information on anyway. You have nothing to lose except you're time and effort.


Your second option, is, to guess and second guess and take no action.

Deanston

Herzlos wrote: »

He's not. He's helping the police deal with the crime that the damaged party will likely have reported and may not be able to identify otherwise.

And that in itself is not a reason to access the data.

Car_54

Herzlos wrote: »

He's not. He's helping the police deal with the crime that the damaged party will likely have reported and may not be able to identify otherwise.

Exactly, so he is not covered by the exception in the DPA which would allow him to obtain the insurance data.

Deanston

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

In my experience the police aren't interested in third-party information; they told me only the victim can report a crime/damage to their car; not me.

That’s isn’t the case these days.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

In my experience the police aren't interested in third-party information; they told me only the victim can report a crime/damage to their car; not me.

OP is not REPORTING A CRIME, they're coming forward as a witness to a crime which may or may not have been reported by a victim. I wish this nonsensical advice would give in, its not helping the OP one bit if in fact putting them off doing anything.

Only a victim of a crime can report a crime? I think you miss understood what you were being told.

Norman_Castle

luckyduck83 wrote: »

I witnessed a road traffic collision and am happy to assist the third party track down the driver who appeared to fail to stop.

Offer your evidence to the police who will be able to contact the drivers through their registration number and provide details to them for their insurers.

Norman_Castle

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

In my experience the police aren't interested in third-party information;

In my experience the police rely on independent witness information. In this instance its possible the police will not take action but they will share the information with the driver who can forward it to their insurer.

luckyduck83

Just watched back my dashcam footage. Interestingly I say to myself "And she was on her phone".

I don't actually remember that and you can't see it from the footage, but it explains why she suddenly drove into another car.