The role of the police at the scene of an accident

Whether or not the police get involved at the scene of an accident will depend on the circumstances. Usually if there are no injuries involved, no suspicion that a traffic offence has been committed and there has been no damage to any signage or property then they do not have to be involved.

More specifically, circumstances where the police may have to be involved and make a full report, may include the following:-

If individuals have been injured or there is fatality

If the accident is causing a hazard to other road users

If a driver has clearly lost control of their vehicle

If a driver fails to stop

If there is damage to roadside signage or crash barriers

If a vehicle defect has clearly caused the accident

If there is reason to suspect that a road traffic offence has been committed

At the scene of the accident

The police have a number of responsibilities at the scene of a road accident. These include:-

Ensuring the safety of the individuals concerned and other road users

To liaise with the other emergency services at the scene

To investigate the circumstances and establish the cause of the accident

To take notes, contact details and witness statements from those involved

To check the that the drivers have the correct driving documents

To ensure that the scene is cleared safely of any debris

To ensure that the traffic flow is safely controlled during and restored after the accident

If you have been involved in a car accident and would like further advice, please give us a call us on 0845 6768898 or complete our online claim form and one of our experienced advisors will be happy to help.