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What to do if the culprit of an accident has disappeared
A road traffic accident is always unpleasant. It is worse if not only the car is damaged, but also the driver, his passengers or pedestrians are injured. The problems can be exacerbated if one of the parties to the accident (especially the culprit) leaves the scene of the accident. After all, everyone knows the rule that in such situations, no one is allowed to drive away - neither the initiator of the accident nor the victims. Unfortunately, such cases are not uncommon. This article provides tips for victims: what to do if the person who caused the accident has left.
What to do if the culprit of an accident has disappeared
In our fast-paced lifestyle, accidents happen most often because of speeding. A person who is always in a hurry may behave in a completely illogical manner and leave the scene of an accident. They may think that running away is the best way to solve the problem. But many people do not take into account that there will be eyewitnesses, recordings from surveillance cameras, DVRs, the car will be put on the wanted list and in the end, they will have to overcome their panic and wait for the police to arrive.
If the irreparable has happened and the culprit has fled the scene, the injured driver should gather his strength, overcome his anxiety and take the following steps
- switch on the emergency alarm and put up an emergency stop sign so that drivers passing by can see the damaged car and avoid the scene;
- if someone is injured, try to call an ambulance as soon as possible;
- call the police to record the fact of the accident and the fact that the culprit of the accident has disappeared;
- call your insurance company;
- leave the car in its place, do not move any objects (e.g., a broken headlight, a broken bumper, etc.)
- try to recall and write down the driver's description, licence plate number of the car that left, take photos of your car from several angles. The number plates of the damaged car must be visible in the photos;
- if there are any witnesses, write down their names and phone numbers, ask them to wait for the police to arrive and give evidence. It may turn out that the moment of the accident was recorded by the dashcams of passing cars. It is also advisable to ask their owners to wait. And if they are in a hurry, write down their contact details for communication;
- upon the arrival of law enforcement officials, tell them in detail what happened, give testimony and receive a report on the damage to the vehicle.
The most important thing to do is to try to remain calm and not panic. The further progress of the case to find the culprit and pay the insurance company will depend on how detailed all the testimonies are recorded.
If you have insurance
The injured driver may have motor third party liability insurance and motor third party liability insurance. If you have the first policy, you should call an insurance representative from your company as soon as possible. There have often been cases when he arrived faster than the patrol service. The employee examines the scene, always represents the client's interests and can act as an additional witness. In this case, insurance payments will be made after the damage has been recorded and the cost of repairs has been assessed at the service station with which the insurer has a contract. It is not recommended to take up the restoration of your car on your own.
A little more effort will be required to obtain payments when the culprit of the accident has disappeared, if the victim has only an MTPL policy. Such cases are handled by the Victims' Protection Fund at the Motor Transport Insurance Bureau of Ukraine.
To receive money for car repairs from this fund, you need to download an accident report form, fill it out by hand and submit it to the MTIBU's public reception office within three days after the accident (addresses, phone numbers, and working hours can be found on the organisation's official website).
Next, you will need to prepare the following documents:
- MTPL insurance policy;
- a copy of your passport and TIN;
- documents that record the fact of the accident (this may be a report issued by representatives of the patrol service at the scene of the accident);
- an extended certificate with information about the participants in the accident, the persons responsible for it, and the circumstances of the incident.
Additionally, a copy of the local court ruling confirming the liability of the other party to the accident, medical certificates on the victim's health (including temporary disability) may be required. Representatives of the fund have the right to contact witnesses of the accident to restore the full picture of events, inspect the damaged car, and perform other actions.
The law obliges MTIBU to make a decision on routine payments (or to give reasons for refusal if no documents are submitted) no later than 90 days from the date of filing a claim for insurance compensation.
Damage to a car in a car park
Another case that can unfortunately happen to a car is damage in a car park. It's good if the driver who hit the car left a note on the windscreen with his contact details, which can be used to contact him to arrange insurance payments.
If there is no such information, experts advise you to do the following to avoid having to repair the car at your own expense
- call the police to record the damage;
- look for witnesses. Perhaps there are video cameras in the car park or someone saw what happened;
- take photos of the damage. One of the pictures should clearly show the car's licence plate number;
- contact your insurance company, which will advise you on how to behave in such a situation.
All these steps will help you receive payments from the MTIBU Victims Protection Fund and avoid financial losses.
