[Car Accident Help] @ Eastwood

Hi everyone!

First, please forgive me for my crappy English, as I am Chinese.

Well, it was a traffic accident happened TWO months ago at 2nd of August. The cops are still investigating it.(Yes, 2 months, still no finalized report.) It seems that most likely I was at fault. The cops are still reviewing the footage. (I am not very sure whether there was any footage at all. 'review' and 'footage' are the keywords that I caught during my conversation with the police officer. So I believe there might be some footage.) I have very little chance to turn everything over if the police officer believes the other party was at fault.

The accident happened at Shaftsbury Rd cross Rutledge St at Eastwood. There is a newly installed red light speed camera at that crossing. (Who knows how it works?)

I was travelling in South-west direction and was trying to perform a right turn from Rutledge St to Shaftsbury Rd. I entered the intersection when the green light was on. Then the light became amber. There was a incoming car. I believed he must stop and moved my car a little to the right. Then I noticed that he wasn't going to stop at all and I stopped. And so did the car run yellow light. So the accident happened. My car was hit and made a U turn and ran into the fence at left side at Rutledge St.

Both of us are not harmed. His car wasn't damaged a lot; his right front light dented a little. Mine wasn't that luck as I ran into the fence. I think my car is not economically repairable.

Well, based on the reaction of the policewoman who questioned the other party, it seemed that he denied running light. His insurance company called me the other day and told me to be prepared. I learned a good lesson that I should have bought at least third party property damage insurance.

So the problem with me now is:

First and major issue, who was at fault. I know more than 90% it was me as I misinterpreted the incoming car and failed to give way. And less than 10% it was the other party for running light. (I have checked the traffic rule before the accident so I believed that he must stop.) So the police would say the last word. But I really don't know when the police will draw the conclusion.

Second, my car was towed and park at my house but at public road. I got complained by the neighbour and the council give me Ultimatum to remove by 12th Oct. (I know I can scrap it but I want to do it after hearing the finalized report.)

Could anyone give me some suggestion? Thank you!(Apologize again for crappy English.)

Comments

  • +2

    IF as you say he went thru the light when it was amber, then it would appear that you are at fault.

    The rule is

    Stop, if safe to do so

    The point that will be hard to prove for you is whether or not the other driver could stop safely. Things like how long it was amber, were there other cars following the car, so if they stopped suddenly they could have been rear ended.

    In the last case I "caused" an accident by stopping too quickly at an amber light, when the car behind towing a caravan couldn't stop as quickly and ran up the back of me. The insurance and police blamed the other driver, but I now check behind me before stopping on amber.

    If there is no footage, which maybe the case if the light was still amber, as the camera's are triggered by someone crossing only if it was red, then it's his word against yours, which will be hard to prove.

    With regard to moving the car, go to the council and explain you are waiting on the police report and they may give you extra time, although I dont see really why you would need to keep the car, UNLESS the police have said you should.

    BTW your Crappy English is better than you think and you have been quite clear with your explanation.

    • I know how difficult to prove it was 'safe' for him to stop. There was no vehicle following him. I have stopped for a while.(I don't know how to describe the time but I feel it should have been enough for him to stop. I know this may not make any sense at all cause it was my subjective judgment.) So it was safer to cause a accident rather than stop, provided basically in most case I was at fault. He didn't slow down and I considered he should have at least slow down the speed before the crash happened. (This was the point I told to the police at the scene.)

      I've heard few cases drivers got ticket on running yellow light. So I still believe I might got the chance.(Well, I admit the chance is very very close to zero)

      Anyway, thank you very much for your suggestion. I might scrap it just after 5th. (I will go back to China to celebrate my grandpa's 90th birthday! I will keep this a secret; I don't want to make my grandpa worry.)

  • +3

    I grew up (and still live) in Eastwood and I can never shake the feeling that Eastwood has some of the worst drivers around :(

    • Eastwood drivers are the worst in all of northern Sydney! Never have I gone through the town centre without having to use my horn to warn drivers who do all kinds of stupid things.

      That intersection is particularly problematic, and the lights need turning arrows. It's pretty sneaky that the RMS installed the RLS camera there instead of the Trelawney St intersection which has right-turn arrows in the westerly direction.

      OP, maybe you should consider investing in a dash cam. They go for about $60 for an entry-level full HD camera, and could save you plenty of money in accidents where fault is ambiguous, such as yours. Good luck with the cops and your insurance company.

      • I will grab one when I am back to Sydney. I ordered two from Taobao and my mum have received them. One is for my friend.

        And I got another lesson that I am not insured. So probably several weeks later a naughty call will make me loss (I guess) 2 to 3 grand?

        P.S. I haven't told why I need that stuff…. Preparing to be criticized….

        • And I got another lesson that I am not insured. So probably several weeks later a naughty call will make me loss (I guess) 2 to 3 grand?

          Expect twice or triple that amount…they aren't charities.

  • op, did you queue across the intersection?

    • Yes, I was the second.

  • +1

    His insurance company called me the other day and told me to be prepared. I learned a good lesson that I should have bought at least third party property damage insurance.

    You're lucky you didn't hit a ferrari.

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