This guide will explore when road traffic accident reporting is necessary. You may consider reporting a road traffic accident to the police. However, following a road traffic accident, reporting a car accident, for example, to the police is not always a legal requirement.
A guide on road traffic accident reporting
Furthermore, you might be considering making a road traffic accident claim but are unsure whether you’re eligible. You could have questions such as:
- Why should I make a traffic accident report?
- How can I make a car accident claim or a claim for another type of accident on the road?
- How much compensation may I get for a road traffic accident?
This guide aims to answer these questions and explore the steps you can take following an accident on the road, such as collecting evidence.
You can continue reading for more information. Or, if you would like to speak to a member of our team, you can do so. They can offer free legal advice 24/7. To get in touch:
- Call us on the number at the top of the page.
- Contact us online by filling out the form with your query.
- Use our live chat feature below.
Choose A Section
- What Is The Significance Of Road Traffic Accident Reporting?
- Ways That Car Crashes Can Happen
- How Can I Make A Claim After A Road Traffic Accident?
- Payout Estimates For Injuries From Road Accidents
- Is A No Win No Fee Agreement Necessary?
- Further Resources About Road Traffic Accident Reporting
What Is The Significance Of Road Traffic Accident Reporting?
A road traffic accident is any accident that occurs on the road. This can involve vehicles, such as cars, vans and lorries, cyclists and pedestrians. However, road traffic accident reporting is only necessary in circumstances where the accident has caused damage or injury and you weren’t able to swap insurance details at the scene. In these cases, the police should be informed of the incident within 24 hours.
Additionally, you should report the accident to your insurance company regardless of whether you’re planning to make a claim or not.
You can make a personal injury claim for an accident on the road as long as the incident was caused by somebody else’s breach of duty and you suffer injuries as a consequence.
The severity of your injuries may affect your potential compensation. Other factors are also considered when determining how much you could be owed.
For more information on when you might be eligible to seek compensation, call us on the number above.
Car Accident Statistics In The UK
As per the Department for Transport’s statistics, there were an estimated 119,850 road casualties of all severities in the year ending June 2021. This was a 9% decrease from the year ending June 2020.
To find out when road traffic accident reporting is necessary, get in touch with a member of our team.
Ways That Car Crashes Happen
As per the Road Traffic Act 1988 road users must ensure they comply with the duty of care they owe to one another. They are expected to behave in a safe manner on the road to ensure their own and others’ safety. Additionally, road users must adhere to the rules in The Highway Code and they should follow any guidelines.
Failure to do so is a breach of duty of care and could constitute negligence if harm is caused as a result of the breach. If this is the case, you may be able to make a road traffic accident claim.
For example, a driver may have been operating their vehicle under the influence of drugs. As a result, they crash head on into another vehicle after overtaking without checking it was safe to do so.
In these instances, road traffic accident reporting to the police and your insurance may be necessary. Call our team for more information.
How Can I Make A Claim After A Road Traffic Accident?
If you are considering making a claim for a road traffic accident, you should gather as much evidence as possible to support your case. Firstly, you should seek medical attention. Not only will this ensure you get the medical care that you may require, but it also generates medical records that can be used as evidence.
Additionally, you could:
- Gather the contact details of any witnesses. This can allow your solicitor to gather witness statements at a later date.
- Request CCTV footage of the accident scene or the incident.
- Collect photographs of the scene of the incident and/or your injuries as evidence to support your case.
- Provide a police report, if applicable.
You should also make sure you’re within the personal injury claims time limit to start a claim.
Lastly, you should seek legal advice. Our advisors offer free legal advice and can provide further information on the evidence you can gather and the time limit for starting your potential claim.
Payout Estimates For Injuries From Road Accidents
If you win your car accident claim, the road traffic accident compensation you receive may be made up of two heads of claim. Firstly, you will receive general damages. This head of the claim compensates you for any pain and suffering, either physically or mentally, brought on by the injuries.
We have created a table using figures from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG is a document that legal professionals use to help them when valuing your injuries. Despite this, these figures should only be used as a guideline. This is because each settlement is determined by considering several factors such each personal injury claim payout is unique.
| Body Part | Severity | Compensation Bracket | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | (c) Moderate (i) | £150,110 to £219,070 | Where modest to severe intellectual damage is sustained with an impact on speech or sight. Other problems may be present. |
| Neck | (a) Severe (i) | In the region of £148,330 | This bracket includes injuries associated with incomplete paraplegia or leading to permanent spastic quadriparesis. |
| Neck | (a) Severe (iii) | £45,470 to £55,990 | Fractures, dislocations or severe damage to soft tissue are injuries included in this bracket. |
| Back | (a) Severe (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 | The most severe cases that include spinal cord and nerve root damage causing serious problems not usually found in back injuries. |
| Leg | (b) Severe (ii) | £54,830 to £87,890 | This bracket covers permanent mobility resulting from injuries requiring the use of crutches or other forms of mobility aid for life. |
| Knee | (a) Severe (iii) | £26,190 to £43,460 | Less severe disabilities for example, continuous pain, or impact on mobility caused by injuries that are less severe. |
| Hand | (f) Severe Finger Fractures | Up to £36,740 | Injuries in this bracket might lead to partial amputations causing deformity and other symptoms. |
| Elbow | (b) Less Severe | £15,650 to £32,010 | Function is impaired but there is no significant disability caused. |
| Shoulder | (a) Severe | £19,200 to £48,030 | An injury that involves damage to the brachial plexus leading to considerable disability. |
| Foot | (g) Modest | Up to £13,740 | This bracket includes a simple fracture of the metatarsal causing ongoing symptoms such as a permanent limp. |
Furthermore, you may also be awarded special damages. This head of the claim reimburses you for any financial losses suffered due to your injuries. These could include:
- Care costs
- Loss of pay
- Home adaptations
You should provide evidence of these losses, such as payslips and receipts.
Get in touch with one of our advisors for a more accurate estimation of how much compensation for injuries you sustained in a car accident you could receive.
How Will The Whiplash Reforms Affect My Claim?
The Whiplash Reform Programme made changes to the way certain road users seek compensation for low-value road traffic accidents. If the whiplash reforms apply, you may need to claim through the government’s online portal. In some cases, your claim may be valued in line with the tariff of injuries in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. However, these tariff amounts may also apply to claims not made through the government portal.
For more information on when the reforms may apply, get in touch on the number above.
Is A No Win No Fee Agreement Necessary?
A solicitor from our panel could provide a No Win No Fee service. One type of service is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
If you are represented under a CFA, you won’t pay for your solicitor’s services if the claim fails.
However, if your personal injury claim is won, No Win No Fee solicitors will require a success fee. This is legally capped and will be deducted from your compensation.
Find out whether you are eligible to be covered on this basis by getting in touch with a member of our team. If you are eligible to make a car accident claim, they could connect you with one the solicitors from our panel.
Talk To Us About Road Traffic Accident Reporting
For more information on when road traffic accident reporting is necessary or to discuss your potential claim, you can:
- Call us on the number at the top of the page.
- Contact us online by filling out the form with your query.
- Use our live chat feature below.
Further Resources About Road Traffic Accident Reporting
Here we have provided you with some additional reading on areas related to car accident reporting:
Other guides:
- A complete guide to road traffic accident claims
- How much are road traffic accidents worth in compensation?
- A guide on making personal injury claims for a car accident in the UK
Thank you for reading our guide on road traffic accident reporting. If you have any other questions, please get in touch on the number above.
Writer Beck Perch
Editor Meg MacAllister