Car Parts and Accessories

A driver who collides with your car may offer you a small sum on the spot’ to settle the matter. This offer may be tempting if the damage seems limited—if there appears to be only a dent, for instance— but it should be refused until a garage has given a proper estimate of the cost of repair.

Again, the driver responsible may suggest that repairs to your car should be carried out by his garage at his expense. This offer should be refused, unless you are satisfied with the standard of workmanship of the particular garage, and can be assured that the job will be completed within a reasonable time.

Any agreement to settle a claim without involving insurers should be made on the basis that the settlement must be made within a specified time and for the full amount of the damage caused. Whatever the outcome of the negotiations, your insurer must be informed of the accident.

Collecting Evidence

A driver who has an accident should record the salient points immediately after the event.

Names and addresses Note carefully the names and addresses of other people involved in the accident and potential witnesses. Write down the registration numbers of cars. If a driver leaves before you have taken his name he can be traced through the registration number of the vehicle.

Traffic Note whether the road was busy; if traffic was fast or slow.

Weather conditions Record the time of day and whether visibility was good or bad. If the accident occurred at night, note the proximity of street lights. Note whether the road was wet or dry.

Vehicles Note carefully damage which seems to have been caused by the accident.

Record damage which obviously existed before the accident, such as a missing bumper, or a rusted dent on a part of the bodywork not affected by the collision.

Photographs These should be taken as soon as possible after the accident, showing the position in which the vehicles came to rest. Take individual photographs of any features, such as concealed entrances, which may be relevant, and carefully record the exact position from which each photograph is taken.

Photographs will not be accepted as evidence unless the person who took them is prepared to attend the court and give evidence of having taken them.

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