Hmmm not the sort of Friday journey I expected, some idiot yoof in a Carrado cut inside me at a set of lights and then pulled in front, nowhere to go hit the B pillar of the Corrado with the nearside front wheel and wing.

Yoof didn't stop, but drove down the road leaning half out of the car to see what damage was done to his car, then drove off..... Called M. Le Plod and reported it, then called the insurance co. Just a bit stunned about the whole thing really, I was having such a good day.

And the monster was looking soooo clean and sparkly after the service on Wednesday.

Let's see if my legal assistance gets my excess back from the yoof's insurance company.

This is where having a camera on board would come in very useful

Hope it gets sorted in your favour

Yep, camera would have been all the proof you need.

Fairly likely (unless you have decent witnesses) he'll say you swerved into his lane.

So it'll probably go 50:50.

Deal with claims like this quite often at work.

Unless there is proof who was at fault it's one word against another.

He left the scene of an accident without stopping / exchanging details.

Why?

No insurance probably.

Registration?

I personally would have seen the red mist go up and follow him, the next time he stopped I wouldn't have stopped and forced the issue but my car is a company vehicle and I am a bit direct.

I hope you get sorted but without a registration or witness I assume you will be making a claim on your insurance.

He didn't swerve into my lane there was only one lane, he was in the left turn lane but didn't turn left. I didn't see him until it was too late and had nowhere to go. Still trying to work out how he thought I could stop. Ahh the mysteries of yoof.

He had insurance, Direct Line confirmed they would be pursuing them to recover costs.

But don't you have to stop if you are involved in an accident?

Glad you're ok Mike.

But don't you have to stop if you are involved in an accident?

That's an offence in itself to my knowledge, the actual incident itself put aside for a moment. "Failing to stop at the scene of an accident" I think?

Both our Yeti & Citigo have cameras installed for such an eventuality as your unfortunate experience.

Hope everything works out OK for you.

That's an offence in itself to my knowledge, the actual incident itself put aside for a moment. "Failing to stop at the scene of an accident" I think?

Highway Code Rule 286 says: "If you are involved in a collision which causes damage or injury to any other person, vehicle, animal or property, you MUST...stop". So yes, it's an offence not to stop if damage has been caused. If the two insurance companies are communicating as the OP indicates is the case then the other party is going to be easily traceable, and again per the OP's account the police are already aware so it's to be hoped that someone is going to get the book thrown at them fairly forcefully.

Unfortunatly this is the sort of thing that can happen to any innocent driver today. I've been out in the early hours being dads taxi and have witnessed 2 red lighters come straight across traffic lights so I bought a Blackvue justin. Although it's a right pain at least you know who it is and as he didn't stop your account of the accident shouldn't be challenged by his insurer, especially if plod prosecutes the yoof. Hope it goes well for you

Thanks for the support guys, sounds like the camera is next on my shopping list.

Had something similar a few years ago but managed to avoid an accident. This was, however, a deliberate attempt to cut in front and them brake hard the plan to make me rear end him (BOB NO!)

He tried a couple of times before I cottoned onto what he was about. It was a big HiLux with an very dirty plate. He eventually cut over the central reservation and started on the traffic the other side.

A camera would have be useful in this case also, maybe time to investigate?

That's an offence in itself to my knowledge, the actual incident itself put aside for a moment. "Failing to stop at the scene of an accident" I think?

Take a deep breath, here it comes:

Section 170(2) of the Road Traffic act 1988 provides that the driver of the motor vehicle must stop and, if required to do so by any person having reasonable grounds for so requiring, give his name and address, the name and address of the owner of the vehicle and the identification marks of the vehicle. The duty to stop means to stop sufficiently long enough to exchange the particulars above: Lee v Knapp [1966] 3 All ER 961.

Section 170(3) places an obligation on the driver, if he does not give his name and address under subsection (2) above, to report the accident to a police constable or police station as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within 24 hours. The duty to report means "as soon as reasonably practicable": Bulman v Bennett [1974] RTR. It does not mean the driver has 24 hours within which to report the collision.

When the evidence reveals a failure to comply with both subsections (2) and (3), proceedings should be brought for both offences. The failure to stop is usually viewed as the more serious of the two.

A person who fails to comply with subsection (2) or (3) above is guilty of an offence punishable with a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment.

Phew!

Got the estimate from my local bodyshop for the repair

£1,725!!!!

That's for a resprayed scuffed bumper, replacement front wing, headlight and paint.

I'm in the wrong job.

Just launching the 3rd party claim against the yoof's insurance company. No point in using my insurance company as the excess on the policy was well, excessive! Don't want to risk not recovering the full cost from the yoof.

I really wish you the very best of luck Mikep. Just don't expect a fast turn round of the claim.

I was hit from behind a few years ago and my 2 year old vehicle was a write off. I was fully comp with the other bod was insured with the same insurance company as me. It took 2-3 months to get my settlement from my insurance and 6 months or so to get my excess back. I was calling the insurance almost on a daily basis.... The stupid thing was that I had a hire car that would cost the insurance company more the longer my insurance claim took to settle ignoring the excess.

Good luck,

Thanks Hairball, I feel sooo much happier now ;-)

Fingers crossed it gets sorted asap.

I'm using a claims management company not Direct Line, they are incentivised to get the claim sorted on my behalf. I work iin the insurance industry so I'm hoping a little inside knowledge will help

or not as the case may be!