Photo: Mike Bird / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
After a collision in Great Britain, stop safely and deal with any danger or injuries first. The law says you must stop, give your details to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask for them, and report it to the police within 24 hours if you did not give your details at the scene. The duty applies when a vehicle on a road or other public place is involved in an accident that injures anyone other than you, or damages another vehicle, one of the listed animals, or property on or next to the road. It can apply even if your car did not touch anything. Damage only to your own car or trailer does not trigger it. This checklist covers what to do at the scene, what to exchange and when the 24-hour police report applies. It is based on Highway Code Rules 281 to 287 and section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Key facts
- You MUST stop if the accident injures anyone other than you, or damages another vehicle, a listed animal, or property on or next to the road (Rule 286, section 170).
- You MUST give your name and address, the vehicle owner’s name and address, and the registration number to anyone with reasonable grounds for requiring them.
- Didn’t give your details at the scene? Report the collision to the police as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within 24 hours.
- Someone injured and you couldn’t show insurance? Report to the police within 24 hours and produce your insurance certificate within seven days of the accident, at the police station you named when you reported (Rule 287).
- Tell your insurer even if you are not planning to claim.
- Failing to stop or report carries 5 to 10 penalty points, an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison.
What to do at the scene: step by step
Rule 283 sets out what to do if you are involved in a collision or stop to help.
- Stop, in a place of relative safety if possible.
- Put your hazard warning lights on.
- Put on high-visibility clothing if you have it.
- Ask drivers to switch off their engines, and ask everyone to stop smoking.
- Call 999 and give the exact location and details of any casualties. Use an emergency phone, a mobile, or your car’s SOS button if it has one.
- Move uninjured people away from the vehicles to a safer place.
- Do not move injured people from their vehicles unless they are in immediate danger.
- Do not remove a motorcyclist’s helmet unless it is essential and you are trained to do so.
- Be prepared to give first aid. See what Annex 7 of the Highway Code advises.
- Stay at the scene until the emergency services arrive, if you called them.
- Exchange details (see below).
What details must you exchange after a car accident?
Under Rule 286 and section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, give these to anyone with reasonable grounds for requiring them, such as the other driver, the owner of damaged property or a police officer:
| You must give | Notes |
|---|---|
| Your name and address | Always. |
| The vehicle owner’s name and address | If the car is not yours, for example a parent’s car or a lesson car. |
| The vehicle registration number | Always. |
| Your insurance certificate | If someone else is injured, to a police officer or anyone with reasonable grounds to ask. If you can’t produce it then, see the 24-hour rule below. |
The law sets this minimum. It also makes sense to note the other driver’s details, their registration, the time and place, and any witnesses, because your insurer will ask for them.
When must you report an accident to the police within 24 hours?
You must report the collision to the police if either of these applies:
- you did not give your name and address at the time, for example because nobody was there when you hit a parked car or a wall; or
- another person was injured and you did not produce your insurance certificate at the time.
Report it as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within 24 hours. If someone was injured and you did not show your insurance, you can produce the certificate within seven days of the accident at the police station you named when you reported. That does not give you longer than 24 hours to report.
Section 170 says the report must be made at a police station or to a police officer. Leaving a note on a windscreen does not replace the police report.
Which animals count?
Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 defines “animal” for this duty as a horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog, other than one carried in or on your own vehicle or trailer. If you hit one of these, you must stop and give your details, or report it to the police within 24 hours. Cats and wild animals such as deer are not on the list, so hitting one does not on its own trigger the duty. The duty still applies if the same collision injures a person or damages another vehicle or property on or next to the road. Stop safely if you can and deal with any danger to other traffic.
For driving near animals, see Highway Code rules on herded animals and livestock.
Scenario: you clip a parked car and nobody is around
You must stop. There is nobody to give your details to, so you must report the collision to the police within 24 hours. Driving off, even after leaving a note, risks a failing-to-report offence (code AC20) with 5 to 10 penalty points. For a new driver, 6 points within two years of passing means losing your licence. See the New Drivers Act.
Incidents involving dangerous goods
Vehicles carrying dangerous goods in packages show plain orange reflective plates. Tankers show hazard warning plates (see vehicle markings and hazard plates). If one is involved in an incident (Rule 285):
- follow Rule 283, switch off engines and do not smoke
- keep well away from the vehicle and do not try to rescue casualties, because you could become one
- call 999 and describe the labels and markings on the vehicle
- do not use a mobile phone close to a vehicle carrying flammable loads
Passing an incident you are not involved in
- If you see flashing lights from emergency or incident support vehicles ahead, slow down and be ready to change lanes or stop (Rule 281).
- You MUST follow directions from police or traffic officers about passing an incident.
- Don’t slow down unnecessarily to look, for example at a crash on the other side of a dual carriageway. Watch the road ahead (Rule 282).
Penalties for failing to stop or report
| Code | Offence | Penalty points |
|---|---|---|
| AC10 | Failing to stop after an accident | 5 to 10 |
| AC20 | Failing to give particulars or report an accident within 24 hours | 5 to 10 |
| AC30 | Undefined accident offences | 4 to 9 |
The Highway Code penalty table lists a maximum of 6 months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine and discretionary disqualification. AC codes stay on your record for 4 years from the date of the offence. More in penalty points and endorsement codes.
After the scene: insurance
- You must report the collision to your insurance company even if you don’t plan to claim.
- If the other driver was uninsured, tell the police. Your insurer can advise you, and you may be able to get compensation as the victim of an uninsured or hit-and-run driver.
- Even if a collision was not your fault, insurers may still hold you liable (Highway Code Annex 3).
Common questions
Do I have to call the police after every accident?
No. If nobody is hurt and you exchange details at the scene, there is no legal duty to report. You must report within 24 hours if you didn’t give your details, or if someone was injured and you didn’t show your insurance certificate. Rule 283 says to call 999 with the location and details of any casualties.
Does the 24-hour rule apply in a car park?
Section 170 covers accidents on a road or other public place. Annex 4 of the Highway Code explains that “road” can include many car parks and driveways the public can use, so assume the duty applies.
What if I hit a cat?
Cats are not on the section 170 list, so hitting a cat does not on its own create a duty to report. You must still stop and report if the same collision injures someone or damages another vehicle or property. Stop safely if you can and check whether the animal or debris is a danger to other traffic.
I’m a learner. Who gives details, me or my supervisor?
The duty falls on the driver, which is you. Give your own name and address and the owner’s details if the car isn’t yours.
Should I admit fault at the scene?
The law only requires you to give the details listed above. Report the facts to your insurer and let them deal with liability.
Can I get points for not reporting even if the damage was minor?
Yes. Failing to stop or report carries 5 to 10 points whatever the amount of damage. A new driver loses their licence at 6 or more points within two years of passing, so 6 to 10 points would do it on their own, and 5 points leaves no room for any other offence.
Related: what to do if your car breaks down, the road user and the law (Annex 4), car documents and insurance and the incidents, accidents and emergencies theory topic. Back to the main guide: Learning to Drive in Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own Highway Code, so check nidirect if you drive there.
Sources
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Breakdowns and incidents (275 to 287)” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Annex 4. The road user and the law” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Annex 5. Penalties” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Annex 3. Motor vehicle documentation and learner driver requirements” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “Reporting road accidents to the police: consultation” (December 2016), quoting Road Traffic Act 1988 section 170 (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
- legislation.gov.uk, “Road Traffic Act 1988, Section 170” (legislation.gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Vehicle insurance: If you’re in an accident” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Penalty points (endorsements): Endorsement codes and penalty points” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Penalty points (endorsements): New drivers” (gov.uk)