Accident

[paul1763]

a woman just reversed her daughters merc into my clio in our local chemist car park we exchanged details, what should be done next, do i have to inform police as it was on private property? she said its first time driving car and heard reversing bleepers but did not know what it was for. slight scratch on her bumper but my back door is well dead.

[Old_Geezer]

No one is injured. I do not believe it is necessary to involve the police.

[Old_Geezer]

You should, by rights, now let the insurance company deal with the matter, but many folk sort minor stuff out privately and hope that's the end of it.

[Gizmonster]

I'm fairly sure that OG is right, insofar as you only need to inform the police if someone is injured.
Just pass the details onto your insurance company.

[TWR]

Try to get her to admit Liability, & get that In writing, take a photo of the damage to your car & her's, the time / date / Day / Weather Conditions.

[Brinjal]

Always take photos.

[paul1763]

thanks all for the answers we're doing it without insurance i'll get another door from a scrap yard and put it on myself

[Arrods]

As I understand it, legally you don't have to report an accident even if someone's injured - provided details have been provided to someone with reasonable cause to have that information.

[woofgang]

chrck you r insurance, even if you dont claim, you may invalidate it if you dont tell them, so might the other driver.

[Electrochem]

You should tell your insurance company, as not doing so may cause problems with your insurance.

You will need to provide them with her insurance details as well.

Even though it was a private car park, I am led to understand that under the Road Traffic Act, it counts as a road if the public have unfettered access to it.

[New Judge]

Arrods and Electrochem are both correct. There is no obligation to report any incident to the police unless the driver of a vehicle involved had been unable to provide any person with a reason to request it, his details. For example, if you demolish a wall and there is nobody around to give your details to you must report the matter.

The ownership of land does not determine whether it is subject to the Road Traffic Act. It is whether the public has unfettered access. So your chemist's car park will almost certainly qualify as an "other public place" (and so be subject to the Act). An office car park controlled by an entry barrier or security guard would not.

[ivor4781]

i just wonder how many car owners actually know there insurance details to give out in case of accident, ive always made a photo copy of my certificate and is kept in the glove box