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What to do if you are involved in a road traffic accident (RTA)

If you are involved in a road traffic accident, Your Cover will do everything possible to assist you at the scene itself, as well as later in settling your claim and repairing damage. While this may be reassuring, at the time that the incident happens, your immediate thoughts are most likely to concern what you should do next.

Even if you’ve been involved in a road traffic accident in the past, we suggest that you print off this page and keep a copy in the glovebox of you car. An accident can shake you up badly, and it’s nice not to have to rely entirely on your own clear thinking.

What to do if you are in a minor accident	The majority of road traffic accidents involve merely a minor scrape or bump in which no great harm is done. No pedestrian or other driver is hurt, neither you nor any passengers are hurt, no animals are injured, and there’s no damage caused to lamp posts, bollards or street signs. In a situation like this, you should simply: Swap names and addresses with any other drivers involved. Take names and addresses from any witnesses Do not apologise or admit liability, even if you think you were at fault. Your Cover will deal with this later Make sure that your car is safe to drive. If it is not, call the Your Cover 24 hour accident recovery line free on 0800 777 149 At your first convenient opportunity, call Your Cover on 0844 893 9606 to record your claim. You will find details of the information you will need to have ready on our Making a claim page

What to do if you are in a minor accident

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The majority of road traffic accidents involve merely a minor scrape or bump in which no great harm is done. No pedestrian or other driver is hurt, neither you nor any passengers are hurt, no animals are injured, and there’s no damage caused to lamp posts, bollards or street signs. In a situation like this, you should simply:

Swap names and addresses with any other drivers involved.
Take names and addresses from any witnesses
Do not apologise or admit liability, even if you think you were at fault. Your Cover will deal with this later
Make sure that your car is safe to drive. If it is not, call the Your Cover 24 hour accident recovery line free on 0800 777 149
At your first convenient opportunity, call Your Cover on 0844 893 9606 to record your claim. You will find details of the information you will need to have ready on our Making a claim page

What to do if you are in a more serious accident	If you’re involved in the kind of accident in which your car or another vehicle suffers substantial damage, in which road signs, bollards or street lighting are damaged, an animal is hurt or in which you, another driver, a passenger or pedestrian are hurt, you should: Try to remain calm. Your Cover will assist you in sorting this out, and you can call our Helpline immediately on 0844 893 9606 if you need helping through it Get yourself and your passengers to a place of safety. If your car or another vehicle is presenting a hazard to other road users move it or, if it is undriveable, call the police Do not allow yourself to become aggressive, even if you believe that you are being wrongly accused by someone else involved in the incident Do not apologise or admit liability, even if you think you were at fault. Your Cover will deal with this later If anybody has been injured, dial 999 to call an ambulance Give your registration number and your name and address, as well as the name and address of the owner of your vehicle if that isn’t you, to anybody who has a legitimate reason to ask for them Dial 999 and ask the police to attend immediately. If you and all other parties feel that this isn’t necessary (perhaps where a substantial bump has occurred, but no-one is hurt and both cars remain driveable), you may instead report the incident in person at any police station as soon as you can, but certainly within 24 hours of the accident occurring Produce your current Your Cover car insurance certificate to police at the scene, or at any police station, within 7 days

What to do if you are in a more serious accident

If you’re involved in the kind of accident in which your car or another vehicle suffers substantial damage, in which road signs, bollards or street lighting are damaged, an animal is hurt or in which you, another driver, a passenger or pedestrian are hurt, you should:

Try to remain calm. Your Cover will assist you in sorting this out, and you can call our Helpline immediately on 0844 893 9606 if you need helping through it
Get yourself and your passengers to a place of safety. If your car or another vehicle is presenting a hazard to other road users move it or, if it is undriveable, call the police
Do not allow yourself to become aggressive, even if you believe that you are being wrongly accused by someone else involved in the incident
Do not apologise or admit liability, even if you think you were at fault. Your Cover will deal with this later
If anybody has been injured, dial 999 to call an ambulance
Give your registration number and your name and address, as well as the name and address of the owner of your vehicle if that isn’t you, to anybody who has a legitimate reason to ask for them
Dial 999 and ask the police to attend immediately. If you and all other parties feel that this isn’t necessary (perhaps where a substantial bump has occurred, but no-one is hurt and both cars remain driveable), you may instead report the incident in person at any police station as soon as you can, but certainly within 24 hours of the accident occurring
Produce your current Your Cover car insurance certificate to police at the scene, or at any police station, within 7 days

What to do if you are first to arrive at the scene of an accident	If you are the first ‘non-involved’ person to arrive at the scene of a Road Traffic Accident, how you act could make all the difference to the outcome for those involved. While you may feel that you are not good at dealing with such situations, you share some obligation to fellow road users to help if you are able in an emergency. If you are driving when you come across the scene of an accident: Stop your car in a safe place and switch on your hazard lights, day or night. Switch off your engine and ensure the engines of the vehicles involved in the accident are also switched off. Do not allow anyone to smoke or light a cigarette Dial 999 and explain that you are at the scene of a Road Traffic Accident in which you are not involved. Give as accurate details as you are able of the location and of any casualties. If you suspect that any of the vehicles involved are carrying hazardous chemicals or explosives (look for readily visible Hazchem warning or Trem plates) inform the emergency services and keep people well away from them. You may be asked to give details of the codes on the plates, if you can read them from a safe distance (If you are on a motorway, using a hard-shoulder roadside phone, your location will be automatically identified. If you are using a mobile, give your location by giving the number from the nearest marker located on the hard shoulder. Do not use a mobile phone anywhere near an accident in which you think fuel may be leaking, or there may be flammable cargo.) If you carry an emergency triangle sign, place it 50-150 metres back along the road, ahead of the accident Get everyone who is able to walk to a safe place some distance away from the accident scene. If you are able to and you think it is required, administer basic first aid to check airways, breathing and circulation or help stem any bleeding or simply keep people warm, then do so, but don’t try to remove injured drivers or passengers from vehicles unless you really believe that there is a serious risk of fire or explosion. Do not remove helmets from the heads of motorcyclists unless there is absolutely no alternative Wait for the emergency services to arrive

What to do if you are first to arrive at the scene of an accident

If you are the first ‘non-involved’ person to arrive at the scene of a Road Traffic Accident, how you act could make all the difference to the outcome for those involved. While you may feel that you are not good at dealing with such situations, you share some obligation to fellow road users to help if you are able in an emergency.

If you are driving when you come across the scene of an accident:

Stop your car in a safe place and switch on your hazard lights, day or night. Switch off your engine and ensure the engines of the vehicles involved in the accident are also switched off. Do not allow anyone to smoke or light a cigarette
Dial 999 and explain that you are at the scene of a Road Traffic Accident in which you are not involved. Give as accurate details as you are able of the location and of any casualties. If you suspect that any of the vehicles involved are carrying hazardous chemicals or explosives (look for readily visible Hazchem warning or Trem plates) inform the emergency services and keep people well away from them. You may be asked to give details of the codes on the plates, if you can read them from a safe distance
(If you are on a motorway, using a hard-shoulder roadside phone, your location will be automatically identified. If you are using a mobile, give your location by giving the number from the nearest marker located on the hard shoulder. Do not use a mobile phone anywhere near an accident in which you think fuel may be leaking, or there may be flammable cargo.)
If you carry an emergency triangle sign, place it 50-150 metres back along the road, ahead of the accident
Get everyone who is able to walk to a safe place some distance away from the accident scene. If you are able to and you think it is required, administer basic first aid to check airways, breathing and circulation or help stem any bleeding or simply keep people warm, then do so, but don’t try to remove injured drivers or passengers from vehicles unless you really believe that there is a serious risk of fire or explosion. Do not remove helmets from the heads of motorcyclists unless there is absolutely no alternative
Wait for the emergency services to arrive

Being prepared in case you are in an RTA	For your own safety, as well as for the benefit of other people, it’s a good idea to carry some basic items in an emergency kit in your car. These should include: Powerful torch First-aid kit containing disposable protective gloves bandages, gause, antiseptic cream and wipes, and elastoplast Warm blanket or two Bottle of clean water Tow-rope in good condition Pen and small notepad for swapping names and addresses In addition, whenever you are driving, try to carry with you: Your mobile phone, ideally one with built-in camera for recording damage, position of vehicles etc Car-charger for your mobile phone

Being prepared in case you are in an RTA

For your own safety, as well as for the benefit of other people, it’s a good idea to carry some basic items in an emergency kit in your car. These should include:

Powerful torch
First-aid kit containing disposable protective gloves bandages, gause, antiseptic cream and wipes, and elastoplast
Warm blanket or two
Bottle of clean water
Tow-rope in good condition
Pen and small notepad for swapping names and addresses

In addition, whenever you are driving, try to carry with you:

Your mobile phone, ideally one with built-in camera for recording damage, position of vehicles etc
Car-charger for your mobile phone

First Aid for Road Traffic Accidents	Being able to administer First Aid is a valuable life skill that can make a huge difference in a road traffic accident. The St John Ambulance website contains excellent information and online training, as well as details of courses you can attend free of charge and where to find these in your area.

Your Cover options	Your Cover gives you flexible insurance cover you tailor yourself to meet your own lifestyle and motoring needs. No one is as well placed as you are to decide on what cover you should include in your policy, but we suggest that you consider the following Your Cover components, which could be of benefit to you were you to be involved in a Road Traffic Accident. Breakdown cover - includes recovering and repairing your car after an RTA Driving other cars - insures you to drive someone else’s car, which could be useful in the aftermath of an accident Personal accident - covers you and your passengers for injuries suffered in an RTA Legal expenses - covers you against legal expenses which might arise as a result of an RTA No claims discount protection - protects your No claims discount if you have to claim following an RTA

Your Cover options

Your Cover gives you flexible insurance cover you tailor yourself to meet your own lifestyle and motoring needs.

No one is as well placed as you are to decide on what cover you should include in your policy, but we suggest that you consider the following Your Cover components, which could be of benefit to you were you to be involved in a Road Traffic Accident.

Breakdown cover - includes recovering and repairing your car after an RTA
Driving other cars - insures you to drive someone else’s car, which could be useful in the aftermath of an accident
Personal accident - covers you and your passengers for injuries suffered in an RTA
Legal expenses - covers you against legal expenses which might arise as a result of an RTA
No claims discount protection - protects your No claims discount if you have to claim following an RTA

Terms and conditions contained in the policy documentation apply. Download the policy documentation here.

Obtain an instant quote for a Your Cover Car insurance policy online now.

If you need help at any stage whilst you are building your Car insurance cover, our knowledgeable UK customer centre staff are available to assist you on 0800 975 3247.

Your Cover is a product from Allianz Insurance plc, registered in England no 84638 at 57 Ladymead, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1DB, United Kingdom. Allianz Insurance is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, registration number 121849 and this can be checked by visiting the FSA website at www.fsa.gov.uk or by contacting the FSA on 0845 606 1234.

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What to do if you are involved in a road traffic accident (RTA)

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