Car Accidents 101, What's Your Take?

immrnonamehello on 28/04/2023 - 10:02
Last edited 28/04/2023 - 10:02

So I'm quite a new driver and so far nothing has happened (let's hope it stays that way), but recently realised that passing driving tests is one thing, how to respond to/deal with accidents is another… and unfortunately it's not really taught or tested.

So far the basics I know:

  • dashcam
  • have insurance of some sort (min. 3rd party)
  • making sure that license details are exchanged at the scene (but then what happens if someone claims they need to go to the hospital and rushes off? This happened to a friend of mine)
  • note down car details

Have I missed anything?

Automotive

Comments

  • Fredfloresjr on 28/04/2023 - 10:10
    -3

    Minimum is comprehensive insurance.

    • pegaxs on 28/04/2023 - 10:19
      +13

      I'm not buying $1200 worth of comprehensive insurance for a $2500 car.

      3rd party insurance has its place and is absolutely the minimum. At least it will cover the other party which could well be order of magnitudes higher in damage costs than OP's car. (Think crashing into a $120,000 LandCruiser or a house.)

      That being said, if you buy an expensive car and can't afford comprehensive insurance on it, maybe consider a cheaper vehicle…

      • Euphemistic on 28/04/2023 - 11:05
        +2

        Agree. Minimum is third party PROPERTY, with the proviso that if you cannot afford to be without a car, or replace it quickly with savings, you should make every effort to get comprehensive.

        Even if you think you’ll never crash, having a stolen car crash into you while under pursuit or other uninsured driver (eg drunk) will mean you aren’t covered unless you have comprehensive.

      • AngoraFish on 28/04/2023 - 11:08
        +1

        Comprehensive insurance on my $3300 agreed value car cost me $454.85, total (Everyday Insurance/Woolworths, Feb 2023) with a $600 excess, $140 more than the compulsory third party quote.

        Comprehensive insurance is a no-brainer regardless of car value. These forums are littered with instances of people done over for various reasons because they didn't have it, such as conflicts regarding who is liable in particular situations, people being pursued by aggressive third parties with weak claims, multi-vehicle accidents, and complications associated with instances where your vehicle is damaged by uninsured drivers.

        The fact that the insurance company will manage any weird claims disputes for you and sort out any negotiations with third parties and their insurance companies, and in many cases pay for and organise any legals associated with claims that end up in court, is alone worth the extra $140. It's not just about replacing your car.

        • Bargainitis on 28/04/2023 - 12:24

          @ AngoraFish

          I'm not sure if paying $455 for comprehensive only covering $3,300 of agreed value makes the most financial sense btw.

          Your payout for a total of your car is $3,300 less $600 excess so really your maximum payout is $2,700. Your premium is $455 so technically ~5 years "payback" (including inflation of your annual payment). Not a great ratio IMO.

          Won't go into specifics but my annual premium to payout ratio is ~ 27 years on a like-for-like basis which is why opting for comprehensive in my case makes sense.

          Maybe re-run the math for a third party property premium (Is that what you mean above? you wrote mandatory which made it sound like CTP)

          • AngoraFish on 28/04/2023 - 12:55
            +3

            @Bargainitis: No, I'm paying $140 for comprehensive, which is a 19 year payback (3300-600=2700/140=19.29years). The rest is the cost of third party and property and statutory charges, which I'm required to pay for either way.

            • Bargainitis on 28/04/2023 - 13:07

              @AngoraFish: ok not sure what state you are in (i'm in NSW) but anything that is mandotary which in NSW is CTP (mainly for hitting or killing pedestrian / other drivers) is only the bare minimum. You can't registered a car without CTP paid.

              The insurances above that is:

              1) most commonly third party propery insurance - covers other cars you hit deemed your fault but doesn't cover your car
              2) or Comprehensive insurance which covers both yours and others in an accident.

              Does this change your response by chance?

              • AngoraFish on 28/04/2023 - 13:20
                -1

                @Bargainitis: No, and I'm unclear on the confusion.

                You don't buy separate CTP and Comprehensive policies. You buy either a CTP policy or a Comprehensive policy. Comprehensive policies include both CTP as well as everything else (uninsured/at fault), that's what makes it a "comprehensive" policy.

                You need to deduct the cost of the CTP component of the policy from the remainder when assessing value because, as you and I have both said, one has to pay for the CTP component of the policy either way - that's your fixed sunk cost. The only optional part is the uninsured/at fault component.

                It's easy to work out how much extra insuring your own car is over your CTP sunk-cost base because pretty much every single insurer allows you to quote on both options. Get one quote for CTP, one for Comprehensive, then deduct the difference for the actual extra you are paying to insure your own car on top of everyone else's.

                • Bargainitis on 28/04/2023 - 13:22

                  @AngoraFish: ok we might be talking past eachother here.

                  What state are you in?

                  In NSW, if you have an older car. To register or renew your car registration, you need to pay for:

                  1) pink slip (mechanic says your car is "road worthy"); and
                  2) green slip AKA compulsory third party insurance (this insures you if you hit or kill a pedestrian). It doesn't insure car damage.

                  Once you have paid for 1) and 2), you can then register your car and drive it around. Then comes the other two options which is either Third Party Property insurance or Comprehensive.

                  • AngoraFish on 28/04/2023 - 13:32

                    @Bargainitis: Vic, but there's nothing you've said that contradicts what I've said, except that you insist on bundling the cost of both CTP and the Comprehensive price premium to replace your own car as if the entire premium is to replace or repair your own car.

                    In fact, in my instance, the cost of insuring my car on top of everyone else's is only 31% of the total. The rest of the premium is CTP and statutory charges (eg Transport Accident Commission in Vic), which as we have both said, I would have to pay either way.

                    edit: okay. maybe the confusion is that in Vic insurance covers the lot of that, whereas you have an extra fee paid separately. Fair enough then. Either way, $140 is my effective cost for the comprehensive component of the premium.

                    • Euphemistic on 28/04/2023 - 13:55
                      +2

                      @AngoraFish: Confusion is with you using CTP. CTP is the compulsory bit you have to have with rego. It’s for injuries to other people only.

                      The more common abbreviation for optional third party insurance is TPP. Third Party Property. This is the one that covers damages you cause to other persons property, eg car, fence etc. it is not compulsory but yes, it is a component of comprehensive.

                      You are correct in saying you pay $140 per year to cover your oven vehicle - on top of the premium you pay for TPP.

                      • AngoraFish on 28/04/2023 - 14:02

                        @Euphemistic: Fair enough. Consider me skooled on the correct acronyms.

                        • Euphemistic on 28/04/2023 - 15:29
                          +2

                          @AngoraFish: It happens too often that we see on this forum that people think CTP means they’ve got insurance. Too many thread with that exact mistake.

                          It’s important to know that CTP, wether as included with rego or purchased separately (NSW Green slips) doesn’t cover you for damages, just ‘helps with hospital bills’ for others.

                    • A-mak on 29/04/2023 - 15:54

                      @AngoraFish: Looks like you're on the right track but just for your own knowledge, in Vic CTP is included with your registration known as TAC.

        • sareth on 29/04/2023 - 08:54

          Good for you. For me, it's over $1200 for comprehensive insurance for my car which I purchased for $4000 and would be lucky to be worth $2000. Over the 8 years I've owned it, I've saved thousands by not buying comprehensive insurance.

        • outlander on 29/04/2023 - 08:56

          Comprehensive insurance is a no-brainer

          Only if you have no brain. Insurance likes to market itself as a no-worries solution, but in my experience when your living on the cheap end of things they are always difficult to deal with. If you can keep a few thousand in the bank, it's better to stick with cheap third party.

          But as always, the playing field is slightly different for everyone. If I could get comprehensive for an extra $150 a year I probably would

        • Sinnerator on 29/04/2023 - 09:26

          HAR HAR HAR
          Did you lie to get your cheap fully comp price?
          For most people fully comp on cheap cars is NOT WORTH IT.

          • Euphemistic on 02/05/2023 - 09:50

            @Sinnerator: The red s a point where comprehensive is not good value, but that point varies a lot.

            If you’ve got tonnes of cash in the bank and can afford to go buy a car tomorrow for cash then the value point is much higher.

            If you are living week to week off your wages, it’s a much lower value because you my need to use comprehensive insurance to get repairs/cash quickly. if you need your car for work and some uninsured bum crushes into you comprehensive insurance will step in on your behalf while TPP you’re on your own.

  • kerfuffle on 28/04/2023 - 10:14
    +4

    Take photos of both cars' damages and their number plates.

    And yes, comprehensive insurance is better than third-party property. It means you don't have to run around as much if you're at a not-at-fault accidents (I can definitely speak from experience here; five not-at-faults in my old car).

    Failure to exchange details at the scene of a car accident is an offence.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/04/2023 - 11:23

      five not-at-faults in my old car

      5 !

      Over how many years?

      • kerfuffle on 28/04/2023 - 11:25

        2015-2022. Last one was a T-Bone and my old car got written off (same thing almost happened the other week in my new car). The others were either people ignoring Give Way signs and markings or being rear ended. And that was just my old car alone.

        • [Deactivated] on 28/04/2023 - 11:37

          eek!

          And you only just got your new car too …. sage it!

          • kerfuffle on 28/04/2023 - 11:48
            +1

            @[Deactivated]: Yeah luckily I was able to prevent that from happening this time round (and have a dashcam too now so was able to check the recording and ask friends to check that I definitely did not do the wrong thing)

  • skid on 28/04/2023 - 10:16
    +3

    If the cars have not moved since the collision, carefully get out of your car and take a photo of the position of both vehicles.

    If you're blocking traffic, agree with the other party to move the cars to a side street to exchange details.

  • solidussnake on 28/04/2023 - 10:19
    -2

    Lodge a police report if damage is over $3k I think

    • pegaxs on 28/04/2023 - 10:29
      +1

      And how do you determine that? I know cars that breaking the side mirror off is over $3k.

      The requirements for reporting vehicle accidents to the police varies from state to state. Some can be as simple as filling out and online form.

    • deme on 28/04/2023 - 11:43

      In what state is this?

    • Grunntt on 29/04/2023 - 08:28

      OP appears to be in NSW and it looks like the $ figure is no longer relevant.

      https://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/Pages/representing/lawassis…

      That site is worth reading as a refresher for anyone in NSW.

      When must you report the accident to police?

      You must report a car accident to police when:

      ​​a person was killed or injured​
      a driver did not stop and give their details to the other driver or drivers
      a vehicle was towed away after the accident.

      You can report the accident to the police by:

      calling 000 while you are still at the scene of the accident
      going to a police station
      calling the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.

      • gth on 29/04/2023 - 17:52

        Vehicle(s) requiring a tow from the scene doesn't matter. NSW Police will only attend a 'Major Crash', i.e.

        • someone is killed or injured, or
        • a party fails to stop and exchange particulars, or
        • a driver is allegedly under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a drug.

        https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/safety_and_prevention/crime_pr…

        • Grunntt on 30/04/2023 - 07:50

          The subtle difference is that my linked site addresses when an incident must be "reported" whilst yours is referencing when police will "attend" an incident.

          • gth on 01/05/2023 - 17:20

            @Grunntt: Good luck trying to report a collision to police when they don't attend the scene.

            • Grunntt on 03/05/2023 - 09:42

              @gth:

              Good luck trying to report a collision to police when they don't attend the scene.

              You are aware that you can report a collision over the phone now?
              eg in NSW you can call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444

              Also, walking into the nearest police station will work too.

  • brendanm on 28/04/2023 - 10:19
    +3

    Learn how to drive defensively so you are much less likely to be in an accident.

    • Euphemistic on 28/04/2023 - 11:06
      +1

      This and insurance is the most important thing.

  • inherentchoice on 28/04/2023 - 10:24
    -8

    I don't bother with vehicle insurance (except CTP which is of course mandatory and covers personal injury).

    But my vehicles are old and cheap, and arguably I am self-insured. Insurance is a middle man whereby you pay for other people's negligence and misfortune, plus the administration and advertising of the system. Has surely saved me tens of thousands over the years.

    To minimise risk, try to drive less and move to a location (or move jobs) so you don't need to drive to commute. This could also yield time savings that could amount to months and months of your whole life.

    • pegaxs on 28/04/2023 - 10:38
      +7

      I don't bother with vehicle insurance… and arguably I am self insured…

      Really bad advice. You are self insured right up to the time you hit a truck and it crashes off the road into a power pole and into a suburban house.

      Has surely saved me tens of thousands over the years.

      Just damaging a truck can literally cost thousands of dollars per day for every day it is off the road, let alone repairing the damage to it. It would take a week or two of that truck off the road to obliterate any perceived saving on insurance premiums…

      3rd party would cover this damage and is $200~$300 a year, especially for low use vehicles. So, over 20 years of not having 3rd party, you have saved maybe $6,000ish… (way short of "tens of thousands.) Not even close enough to pay out a written off used Hyundai i30, let alone that truck.

      • inherentchoice on 28/04/2023 - 10:42
        -6

        +1 for your comment. But with multiple vehicles, this multiplies the $6,000 saving.

        And it is definitely tens of thousands compared to comprehensive.

        • pegaxs on 28/04/2023 - 10:49
          +5

          So, what you're suggesting is that OP should by multiple vehicles and not pay insurance to maximise the savings?? Should post that as a deal.

          Also, not how it works unless you drive multiple cars at the same time. And if you are driving multiple cars at the same time, your chances of having an accident increases with each extra car your drive.

          Suggesting to OP that they should self insure is financially stupid and reckless to say the least.

          As I said, all it takes is one accident and your "tens of thousands" are wiped out in an instant, along with your house, property, assets and any savings you might have.

          This forum is literally the wailing wall of the uninsured pleading for help because they too thought "I can save $300 a year, I don't need insurance, I'm a good driver…"

          • inherentchoice on 28/04/2023 - 10:57
            -4

            @pegaxs: I am suggesting that the bigger picture is the negligent being a burden on the system and getting subsidised by everyone else, while the system itself is of course administered for corporate profit. This is better seen when you consider more than one vehicle, even if you may only have one yourself.

            OP asked what's your take, and am grateful for your replies, as I want to consider these things.

            What's the most expensive example on the "wailing wall"?

            • Bargainitis on 28/04/2023 - 12:36
              +3

              @inherentchoice: Comprehensive insurance is definitely optional and is subject to people's risk appetite, value of their vehicle and driving experience. 100% up for discussion IMO.

              However, third party property for a beginner driver is almost 100% a must. Imagine hitting a Porsche… and being on the end of a $20K bill because you wanted to save $300….

              • brendanm on 28/04/2023 - 13:35
                +1

                @Bargainitis:

                However, third party property for a beginner driver is almost 100% a must. Imagine hitting a Porsche… and being on the end of a $20K bill because you wanted to save $300….

                Third party is a must for everyone. $20k is nothing these days, very easy to write off a 911 if you rear end it, have you got a spare $250k+ that you don't mind giving away? Then you have the scenario of hitting multiple cars, or hitting government infrastructure, or a building.

                • Bargainitis on 28/04/2023 - 13:50

                  @brendanm: Sadly, third party isn't mandatory but agree it really should be.

                  And your examples are every driver's nightmare.

                  Imagine being the last car in a pile-up. You are done. My dad was once the second last car in a 5 car pile up. You guess it, last car took it all. Everyone blamed the last car hitting their car, propelling it forward to hitting the first car. It rarely matters if thats the reality or not, everyone points the blame on the car behind.

            • pegaxs on 28/04/2023 - 13:26
              +2

              @inherentchoice:

              What's the most expensive example on the "wailing wall"?

              The best one that strikes my memory at a quick think is the guy on the F4 Freeway from Sydney to Newcastle, in the rain, that merged into the path of a truck… with no insurance and was subsequently sent a bill for $42,000 for what was a very very minor collision…

              Has not paying your insurance saved you $42,000? And let's say instead of the minor damage this truck received, the truck swerved after being hit by the car onto the shoulder, lost control, rolled and hit a bridge and 4 other cars… Still self insured enough to cover a truck, 4 cars and repairs to a bridge?

              • inherentchoice on 28/04/2023 - 15:20
                -1

                @pegaxs: Thanks, I like that there's a video in that thread, although very poor quality. https://streamable.com/x48xy

                That driver was travelling interstate. I think I would definitely get at least third party if doing a road trip, but haven't really done road trips in my cars.

                Plenty of names and adjectives used in that thread to describe the driver haha. But this tends to affirm what I was saying about subsidising negligence. I think you are appealing to extremes, but at least it is good to know what the extremes can be.

                • miwahni on 29/04/2023 - 00:13
                  +1

                  @inherentchoice: You don't even need to be driving interstate, doing a road trip, or on the freeway. What if you're driving to the local shops in the rain, and your car aquaplanes you into oncoming traffic? What if you're going past a school, and a child runs out, and your choice is to hit the child or hit the Range Rover parked on the side? Okay you're covered by CTP for the child but is that a choice you'd actually make?

                  These aren't extreme examples. But if you're comfortable, fine, you do you. I'm a bit more risk-averse.

                  • inherentchoice on 29/04/2023 - 06:24
                    -1

                    @miwahni:

                    What if you're going past a school, and a child runs out, and your choice is to hit the child or hit the Range Rover… These aren't extreme examples.

                    Umm, yes that is extreme. Because you should be doing 40kmh or less at a school and simply be able to brake.

                    Likewise for aquaplaning if merely going to the local shops.

    • Ughhh on 28/04/2023 - 13:46

      Has surely saved me tens of thousands over the years.

      Cool, so you need how many more years till you save, say $60k to buy the other party a brand new car?

      • inherentchoice on 28/04/2023 - 14:43

        Depends how many cars I keep at once. But that's also a moot argument because even if you were liable for $60k today, the future savings for $0 premiums also contribute.

        And if keeping the cars as an investment, then it generates that $60k itself.

        How about you, how much has been your lifetime total of premiums paid and excesses you had to cover, versus claims paid out by your insurer?

        • Bargainitis on 28/04/2023 - 14:56
          +1

          The only interesting point you make is the multiple cars part whereby paying multiple premiums is inefficient (for us drivers).

          They should make it where the insurance is on the driver, not on the specific vehicle. Your case in point is you cannot drive one car at a time so why pay multiple annual premiums for multiple cars?

          Since they can't measure how frequently you drive a particular car out of X cars to try and pro rata the premiums, they should just insure you as a driver. That way, you would probably opt for it. Too bad this would be a bad deal for insurers so they wouldn't push for this alternative.

        • Ughhh on 28/04/2023 - 19:44

          So do you have the money right now to buy someone a new BMW? Would you have to restart your life savings again, and hopefully no accidents for another 30 years?

  • pegaxs on 28/04/2023 - 10:24
    +5

    If the other driver is or seems intoxicated/impaired, call the police. If the other driver threatens harm, call the police.

    When handing over your details, say nothing more than you have to. Even if you think you are at fault, admit nothing, don't say sorry, don't tell them you have a dash cam (until you have reviewed the footage first) , ust say, "here are my contact details" and leave it at that.

    If there are witnesses, get their details.

    • Muzeeb on 28/04/2023 - 10:38

      If the other driver is or seems intoxicated/impaired, call the police.

      Unless you have third party. A recent post has shown that the other parties insurance will be invalid due to drivers alcohol impairment. Ouch!

      /s

  • FoxJump on 28/04/2023 - 11:01
    -1

    When you crash, no matter how small, there is a change you'll feel some shock and will make some poor decisions.
    eg: I got rear ended, pulled over, forgot to turn car engine off (it's a hybrid) anyone could have walked into the car and driven off.

    So, in a crash.
    Step1: Calm down. breathe, calm down.
    Step2: Move the car to a safer place if possible. Check for other hazards including other drivers trying to drive around you. If the airbags went off, there may be some glass from the pressure change blowing a window or two.
    Step3: Exit your car, photo the damage, walk to other car (who hopefully has not run away)
    Step4: Photo their damage
    Step5: take pics of other driver's license, BOTH SIDES. If it's an international driver's license, try take pics of other ID too, maybe their passport if they have it.
    Step6: CHECK THE PHOTOS. Make sure theyre readable. Zoom in! confirm.
    Step7: nice to have: their phonenumber in case more things are needed.

    obs the above changes if someone is injured and needs help, that's kind of a priority above the other driver's license/ID

    • kerfuffle on 28/04/2023 - 11:20

      Also turn on hazard lights.

    • AngoraFish on 28/04/2023 - 11:37
      +2

      I once got rear ended. It was a solid knock, but the plastic rear bumper bounced back with barely a scratch. I figured that I didn't have the energy to make a claim and let the thing go.

      It turned out later that the car's entire undercarriage had buckled. Lesson learned. Don't assume that just because you can't immediately see damage that there isn't any.

      • kerfuffle on 28/04/2023 - 11:49

        Don't assume that just because you can't immediately see damage that there isn't any.

        +1

    • andrek on 29/04/2023 - 08:12

      Step 7 is not optional, you need to exchange contact details
      Also need to exchange insurance details, usually just company name is enough, no need for the policy number.

      • kerfuffle on 29/04/2023 - 08:32

        I have never exchanged my insurance details in the five not-at-fault accidents I’ve had. I just tell them I’m going through insurance and you’ll heat from them shortly.

    • Grunntt on 29/04/2023 - 08:36

      Step5: take pics of other driver's license, BOTH SIDES.

      Keep in mind that you can ask to do this but there is no requirement for them to let you.
      Drivers must provide the information but it's your responsibility to ensure you record it (pen and paper in the glovebox is really useful).

      Relevant in NSW (as OP seems to be there)
      https://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/Pages/representing/lawassis…

      Givin​​​g your details ​to other ​​​driver

      Under NSW Road Rules, drivers involved in an accident must stop at the scene of the accident and give their details to the following people, where pos​sible:

      ​​any other driver involved in the accident
      any other person involved in the accident who is injured
      the owner of any property or vehicle damaged in the accident.

      What you need from the other driver

      If you had an accident with another car, you should ask the other driver to show you their driver licence. Look at the back of the licence, to see if they have a new address.

      Under NSW Road Rules, you must exchange some details. These include:

      ​the driver's name and address
      if the driver is not the owner of the car, the name, address of the person who owns the car
      the car's registration number
      any other information necessary to identify the car.

      It is an offence to not exchange details.

      You should also find out and write down:

      the driver's phone number
      the make, model and colour of the car
      the other car's insurance policy details.

    • kokopop on 29/04/2023 - 12:45
      +1

      No! You cannot demand to take the photo of someone’s license and vice versa. Why would you provide sensitive data such as your date of birth and license number.

  • Malik Nasser on 28/04/2023 - 15:28
    +1

    In addition to what everyone else has said, also read through your insurance documents.
    This will tell you:
    - what you are and are not covered for
    - what you need to do in the event of an accident to be covered by your insurance
    - lets you know who else is allowed to drive your car and still be covered
    It may be a dry read, but it has lots of info that are worth knowing.

    • Euphemistic on 28/04/2023 - 15:36

      lets you know who else is allowed to drive your car and still be covered

      This is very important to know. Some of the budget insurers exclude people living at the same household who are not listed on the policy. Others will cover everyone but charge extra excess for different age groups etc. if you know in advance, you can make appropriate decisions

      Eg I was with budget direct and chose to list my learner at an extra cost on one policy, but the other car didn’t require any additional charge to cover the learner. Once on p plates, not required extra premium to be fully covered.

  • Chris Topher on 28/04/2023 - 17:43
    +1

    2 courses to do:

    1: Get a first aid certificate

    2: Do an advanced driver training course

    Whilst driving,, pretend you are invisible. Also never assume what another driver is going to do.

    • kerfuffle on 28/04/2023 - 17:46

      Keeping a first aid kit in the car is a good idea too

    • Grunntt on 29/04/2023 - 08:17

      2 courses to do:
      1: Get a first aid certificate
      2: Do an advanced driver training course

      Agree totally with point 1 but please OP do not do an 'advanced' driver training course.

      You say you are a new driver - you need a defensive driver course (actually most people that I have seen at advanced driver courses really should have been attending a defensive driving course instead).

  • rustyshackleford on 28/04/2023 - 20:19

    Besides what others have already said, get a fire extinguisher for your car. And while you're at it, get a few for your home as well. If you haven't done so already.

  • Out24q on 29/04/2023 - 10:03

    If you hit a vehicle and and there is no damage on their car, and there is on yours, still take the details of the driver.
    I was involved in an accident where I was stopped in traffic, and the car behind me ran up the back of me, which resulted in my car running into the Towbar of the car in front.
    He had no damage and didn't think to leave his details, which I still asked for.
    Luckily for me, insurance said to me that if I didn't get his details, I may have had to pay for the damage at the front of my car as they might not be able to prove it was due to me getting hit from behind.

  • asCMSas on 29/04/2023 - 12:06

    photograph damage or lack thereof for any minor accident.

    when I was a young p-plater I changed lanes and a speeding Auspost van dented my door. he only had a slight scuff mark that rubbed off. no dents. two blokes offered their details as witnesses but as the van driver seemed unfussed and had no damage I didnt get their numbers. The dodgy van driver then proceeded to send me letters from his solicitor for $5000 or more as he had written off his van. scratched and dented the whole side of his van, damage higher than my car was. We ended up paying him $500 to piss off, after spending twice that on soliciter fees disputing his accusations.

    in short, take photos even if its no damage.

    get witness contacts whenever possible

  • kokopop on 29/04/2023 - 12:42
    +1

    Do NOT allow for a photo to be taken of your license.

    There is no requirement anywhere in Australia for this.

    Yes it’s simpler to exchange details but you are providing sensitive data such as your date of birth and license number which are not required by the other party and can be used by others for malicious purposes such as identity theft.

    Simple write out the essential detail only.

    • lordra on 29/04/2023 - 17:48

      The address at the back or the front, as a minimum I would say.

      • gth on 29/04/2023 - 18:24

        While it may not be a legal requirement, it's very beneficial to get of a photo of their licence and, if you can do so politely, a photograph of the driver themselves:

        • confirms the driver IS the person in the licence photo
        • confirms the licence is not expired
        • if necessary, police can confirm if the licence is genuine as part of their report (e.g. if they give the licence, but then refuse to stay after finding out someone is injured).
        • also, you never know how a police report could turn out — a photo showing what they're wearing could later help confirm they were getting sloshed at the pub for 4 hours prior to driving into you.

        PS: Also, beware of folks that want a photo of your licence, but cannot produce a photo licence of their own.

  • Ughhh on 30/04/2023 - 11:11
    +1

    If your car is worth anything, you need comprehensive. Had a driver hit my back passenger side, said sorry and exchanged details. I went through my insurance directly, got my car fixed within 2 weeks, didn't pay excess. About a year later, I got a letter from my insurance, saying they have to take the at fault to court for not paying or something, and wanted to confirm some details. The door alone cost $5k to replace.

    There are some real turds out there, you only need to come across one to make life crap. You gotta have some sort of back up.

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