Car accident advice

bereta91 on 16/04/2014 - 09:39

I got into some situation this morning and I need some advice :(.

So I was driving happily this morning sticking to the road rule, I entered Eastern Free way as safe as possible and drove happily for another
10 mins before something happened. Tradie driving behind me started accelerating and change lane to my left and cut in front of my
car and I actually give away to him (didn't want to get into trouble, he was already driving aggressive). I was travelling at 100 km/h maybe less due to traffic and keeping my distance from the front car when this happened. Problem is, this tradie's car was bit too long (maybe not enough for his car to get into the space) and scratched my car, there was little bump when this happened, and as soon as this happened, he accelerated once again changing his lane to my right and drove off. I followed him for a bit until I realised that I might be putting other drivers in danger. Luckily, my friend sitting at the passenger seat got his plate number and model of the car.

I got off at my destination and checked my left side of the car, there was little dent and massive scratches on the front bumper.

I called up the insurance people (Allianz) and told them exactly what happened. Response I got was that I have to pay the excess and will be
counted as at my fault because I only had the plate number and not the driver's details.

Has anyone been into this situation? If so, what is my option and how do I deal with it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Automotive

Comments

  • Paul Atreides on 16/04/2014 - 09:44
    +1

    I don't know how much damage there is, but i hope for you that most of the scratches will come out with some cut and polish. if it is a small dent, then don't worry about it. You'll get more damage from parking at your local supermarket.

    Or you can always make a police report as a hit and run, but I'm guessing that this will just cause more headaches.

    The process sounds like it would be similar to someone witnessing a car hitting a parked car and driving off.

  • pjetson on 16/04/2014 - 10:07
    +3

    Go to a police station and report the incident. The police will be able to give you the owner's details.

  • bereta91 on 16/04/2014 - 10:22
    +1

    First of all, thank you all for the advice.

    I am still outside doing some stuff and couldn't get to any of the places to get some advice on scratches and a dent (to see if it can be fixed with light touch up).

    From what I can see, the scratches are pretty deep and looks like it has penetrated the whole paint layer and scratched the inner metal :( but
    I will still see if i can get some light touch up so I don't have to go through insurance process. If not, I will head to police station and get the
    details off the drive who ran off and fix the car :S

    • pjetson on 16/04/2014 - 13:32

      The police can only give you the owner's details, and the owner may or may not have been the driver.

      Still, it's the owner's details you need initially.

  • airzone on 16/04/2014 - 10:34
    -4

    The police generally don't get involved unless there is a car that needs towing, or an injury to a person occurs.

    • Smulder on 16/04/2014 - 11:03
      +9

      It is an offence not to stop after an accident, and you must report it to the police if the other driver does not stop.

      • pjetson on 16/04/2014 - 16:34
        +1

        Here's what the road rules says:

        If you are involved in a crash you must do the following:

        • Stop immediately.
        • Give assistance to any injured person.
        • Provide your name, address, registration number details and the vehicle owner’s name to the other parties involved in the crash, or their representative, and to the police (if in attendance).
        • If anyone is injured and the police are not in attendance, you must report the crash to the nearest open police station.
        • If there is any property damage and the owner (or Police) is not present, you must report the crash to the nearest open police station.

        Seems to me that the other driver failed to do at least two of those things, and possibly three.

  • PissLUR on 16/04/2014 - 12:21
    +1

    Ok. without knowing too much details, I am still going to say this.

    Keep Left unless overtaking.

    I am really sick of people driving the speed limit and stay on the right(overtaking) lane.

    • earths_pacifist on 16/04/2014 - 13:23

      Doesnt that freeway have between 3 and 6 lanes. Depending on what part he was on there may have been 4 other lanes on the right to use.

      • PissLUR on 16/04/2014 - 13:49

        and the tradie's car need to overtake OP from the left?

        • bereta91 on 16/04/2014 - 15:38
          +1

          I understand your pain.

          but in my case, I wasn't in the right lane at all.

          There are 4 lanes from the entrance of the Easter Freeway to the city (towards the city, it widens and becomes 6 lane). I was actually on the second left lane. That is how the tradie could over take.

          It was so packed in the morning, I couldn't go any faster even if I wanted to :/

  • NancyCat on 16/04/2014 - 12:25
    +2

    I only had the plate number and not the driver's details.

    You have a witness as well!

    Report to the police ASAP. There's probably some damage on the tradie's car as well, the police may 'match the evidence'?! You never know what the police may or may not do, if you come across a very nice cop and he/she not too busy, he/she may follow up your case.

    Good luck.

    • WT on 17/04/2014 - 12:51

      He has plate and witness, its hit and run. They will follow it up!

  • Handsoff on 16/04/2014 - 13:18

    Report this incident as soon as possible as this is indeed a hit and run. The sooner you report this the easier you cover your own a**. You have nothing to lose by reporting this to the police and everything to gain at this point in time. As for having a witness, I don't think your friend in the car can testify as a witness as they aren't 3rd party indepedent.

    For future reference, if you have a friend in the car with you, call the police while following him. Although a bit of a headache to do, it's the most straight forward way.

    • NancyCat on 16/04/2014 - 14:43

      3rd party independent witness would be ideal, but having a passenger in the car at the time of the accident is better than no witness at all. Giving false statements to police/court/insurance company is a crime. How the police/court/insurance company weight the 'witness' is another matter.

      • SaberX on 17/04/2014 - 11:14

        With your friend int he car I would've thought a witness was a perfect way to cover yourself. Like people said report to police and see what you can do. It's bs that AAMI and these insurance always just pin it on you and get you to pay the excess.

        Count yourself lucky though it was a friend. I witnessed my brother trying to park next to a car, he was reversing in and suddenly the parked car just pumped his reverse accelerator and went straight into the side of the part-reversing car my bro was driving. It was a new accord making it all the worse.

        Plain and sight stupid driving by this guy to be able to drive into the back/side of a car already part reversing into the spot next to you - but the point is they refused to take a witness that was non-independent.

        I failed (heat of the moment) to insist on witnesses outside the oriental store for details.

        So the morale of all this is always get witness details - in which case you already have your friend.

        Don't let the tradie get away with it. Surely if it's a big scratch he felt/heard it too. Even if it's a headache for you to follow up.

  • jmasterzero on 17/04/2014 - 22:20

    Not too sure if insurance policy's have changed recently but my wife had someone back into her car and the driver left the scene - took rego to AAMI and they did the rest without us having to pay excess. In addition to police report may be able to check rego on Vicroads (if in vic) site and they will advise the basic details of car at least which may help for police report. Prior comment about the driver possibly stating they are a passenger is right - I had someone break a mirror off a workcar and when the police questioned them they stated they were a passenger and the police could not do anything.

  • Anth0ny on 19/04/2014 - 16:39

    first of all, really sorry to hear your story. I thought i shared my story too about my car had a hit and run as well and perhaps we all can learn something out of it.

    So, I had an accord euro and one day when i parked it at my office, someone came to me and said that a courier driver hit and run my car in the parking area. so i called sgio and tell them all details including the witness details. the witness submit witness statement to sgio and i submit police report as well.
    the witness didnt write down the courier driver rego no, but since the driver was delivering something to that company we know that the driver employee no.
    SGIO told me to call the courier company to get the driver detail or his rego no. I tried to call the courier company but they denied everything and they will only disclosed information to police. I also bring my car to the appointed sgio panel beater and they told me the cost of repair would be around $2000.
    one week later, i got a call from sgio saying that police wont go ahead with the investigation because the witness didnt write down the rego no and the cost of repair below $5000. SGIO told me whether i would like to go ahead with the repair but i will have to pay excess fee which is $800. I was so pissed at that time. And then i heard from many friends and people that i know as well that this kind of thing happens all the time in Australia.
    Unless you have some sort of a proof such as recorded video or something, if the cost of repair is below $5000 cops wont go ahead and insurance company will most likely to offer you repair with excess fee.

  • frostee on 24/04/2014 - 13:33

    So dangerous. The other driver could have spun you off the road to your death at those speeds.

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