Failing to Stop and Report an Accident

Many drivers are unaware that even the most minor accident should be reported to the police.

At Olliers Motor Law we often receive enquiries from drivers who were not even aware that they had been involved in an accident but upon further investigation, they remembered an incident they considered to be minor and not report-worthy such as a scrape in a car park or a brush up against a fence.

Unfortunately this oversight can lead to criminal charges being brought and, dependant on how serious the allegation is you could face the following penalties:

• A fine;
• Between 5 and 10 penalty points on your licence;
• A disqualification from driving;
• A community service order; or
• A prison sentence of up to 26 weeks!

Prison sentences are reserved for extreme circumstances in these cases they are usually a hit and run scenario. They generally involve a serious accident, serious injury to others and then a subsequent failure to stop/report. It is worrying however that a driver may be facing 5 points and/or a disqualification from driving for a little scrape along a car park fence!

Is There Any Defence?

If you genuinely have no recollection of an accident taking place then this may provide you with a defence to the allegation. A driver cannot be expected to stop and report something they are totally unaware of!

It is not a defence however if you knew that an accident had happened and you considered it to be too minor to report. In any case however, the Prosecution still need to be able to prove who was driving at the time which, in some circumstances, can be difficult.

It is always worth discussing your case with one of our specialist team of motoring lawyers (free of charge) before making any decisions about how to proceed.

Pleading Guilty

If you simply wish to plead guilty immediately to the offence then we would still strongly urge you to contact us for advice as there is still much scope to affect the seriousness of the penalty.

This level of representation costs a fixed fee and includes the meticulous preparation of your case, one of our specialist lawyers on hand for advice over the telephone any time between 8am and 10pm and a specialist court advocate who will accompany you to court and conduct the hearing for you.

If further penalty points would result in you accumulating 12 points or more on your licence, then you are at risk of a 6 month disqualification from driving, please see our section on "Totting Up" for further information or contact us to discuss the options in more detail.