Duties of a Driver Involved in a Traffic Accident

Posted on by zoenavarro in Drink Driving, Driver Licence, Driving Offences

WHAT ARE MY DUTIES AS A DRIVER?

The driver of any vehicle that has been involved in a traffic accident that has caused injury to any person or damage to any property has the responsibility of stopping at the scene and providing their name and address to certain people. The driver is required to remain at the scene if any person if injured to provide assistance.

Any person involved in an accident must provide the following particulars to the other driver/s:

  • Your name and address
  • The name and address of the owner of the vehicle (if it is not you)
  • The vehicle registration number
  • Any other information required to identify the vehicle

If you do not comply with the requirement to provide those particulars you will be charged with an offence. If you fail to comply with the requirement to stop and remain at the scene of an accident that involved injury to a person or damage to property, you will also be charged with an offence.

wHEN DO i REPORT A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT TO pOLICE?

A driver is required to report a traffic accident to police within 24 hours if any of the following criteria apply (‘a reportable crash’):

  1. There has been injury or death to a person
  2. A driver has failed or is refusing to provide required details
  3. A vehicle is not driveable (it was towed from the accident)

A driver involved in a traffic accident should call 000, if the incident involved:

  1. Injury or death to a person
  2. Hazardous environments that can cause risk to the public (fuel spill, blocked road, traffic congestion, knocked down power lines)
  3. Significant damage caused which is likely to cause a hazard or obstruction
  4. A driver is affected by drugs or alcohol

A driver involved in a traffic accident should call Policelink (131 444) to determine if police need to attend if the accident involved any of the following criteria:

  1. Suspected involvement of drugs or alcohol
  2. A driver who failed/refused to provide required details
  3. A driver with an impairment or disability requires police assistance;
  4. A vehicle is not driveable and was towed from the scene

Otherwise you are required to exchange details with the other people involved in the crash and arrange to move the vehicles if it is safe to do so. Police will not arrange for your vehicle to be towed. You or a family member will need to arrange that by contacting the towing company directly or speaking with your insurer who may assist with those arrangements.

wHO IS REQUIRED TO REPORT A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT TO POLICE?

All drivers, regardless of who is at fault, must report a crash to police if it is a ‘reportable crash’. If it does not fall into that category you can still report the accident to police link or online using the police forms.

This post contains general advice only and is not intended as legal advice. 

Unknown's avatar

Published by zoenavarro