Did I break the law?

[jojo]

Odd one this, but approx. @3am last night, as I was making my way home, I was pulling out of a junction to turn left, and I heard a huge wallop over the music I had going in the car. Didn't know what it was until I started to straighten the car, but a car had lost control going into an underpass(that goes under a huge roundabout), and whacked the metal railings in the middle of the road. Now I was on the slip road bit heading onto the island, and there's a similar metal rail between me and this car, so I pulled over on the right hand lane and put my hazards on. I wound my window down to see this car against the rail with only 3 wheels visible, and facing almost the wrong way blocking both lanes.

The driver managed to open the door and stumble out with a cloud of smoke behind him, the airbags had fired off. I picked my phone up and dialed 999, then asked if he was ok?, he was obviously in shock and swearing etc., but he said he was fine in a panicky tone, so I followed up with, 'is there anyone else in the car?', he said no, he's on his own. So I asked him again if he was fine, he said yes, but the car is ******!, and I asked him if he need an ambulance or for me to call the police? He was adamant he was fine, and I didn't need to call either, he will sort it out.

Now it's 3am in the morning, I was a bit knackered, and the rain was starting to come down heavy, so I just closed my window and drove on.

Couldn't help feel that I should have made the call or at least step out the car to double check him over, but the impression I got off him was to just leave him alone.

Did I do the right thing? A few fellow motorists saw the car and reversed back to take the sliproad way, but no one else was interested to stop and ask questions, as it started to rain. And I couldn't help but keep thinking about it on the way home as the rain picked up.

Edit: Forgot to add, as per the title of the thread, it's not the law to hang about right, like scene of the accident?

 

[h5djr]

Personally I would say what you did was correct. As you were not involved in any accident yourself you are not required by law to stop. What you did was what and decent person should do, check that the driver any any passengers were OK and offer to phone for help. The driver said he was OK and there were no other passengers and he was able to get out of the car on his own. If he had been drinking at all I'm sure the Police were the last people he would want to see and if you had called an ambulance the Police would automatically attend.

 

[crazy88]

Personally I would say what you did was correct. As you were not involved in any accident yourself you are not required by law to stop. What you did was what and decent person should do, check that the driver any any passengers were OK and offer to phone for help. The driver said he was OK and there were no other passengers and he was able to get out of the car on his own. If he had been drinking at all I'm sure the Police were the last people he would want to see and if you had called an ambulance the Police would automatically attend.

It also sounds like you didn't see the accident happen, more just the effects of it. Had I seen it happen I'd have been tempted to stay, but from what you said I reckon I'd have done the same.

 

[Ash B]

Well first of all JoJo you stopped to check if he was ok and was in the middle of dialing for help. He confirmed he was ok but clearly in shock and he rejected the help there not alot you can do really. You never saw that what happend and were not involved so what you done was correct i'd say

 

[jojo]

Cheers for the replies guys, just something I wanted to get off my chest I guess, but it's wrong to just drive off when you see something like this, had I done enough I kept asking myself on my way home. I hope he's ok though, the car did it's job to be fair, but I'm leaving the road name and car model out just incase. lol

 

[johnnythepie]

Very commendable Jo.I hope that when (not if!) I stuff my car, then its someone like you drives past.You did the right thing...in this day and age at that time of the morning the guy could have turned if you pushed or got any closer, esp when plod is mentioned.:busted_cop:

 

[jcs356]

Yep, you definitely did the right thing checking those in the car were ok. As it was a single car hitting something immoveable then there isn't a lot else you can do if the driver doesn't want help. If they had hit another motorist, for example, then I think hanging around makes more sense just in case drivers or police want witnesses.

If I ever see an accident involving multiple cars I will always stop and give details as a witness. Unfortunately people these days seem to try to bend the truth around what happened so it makes sense if you've seen what happened to offer help - I'd certainly hope someone did that to me if I was ever involved in an accident.

I've witnessed an uninsured driver do a hit and run - there I did give a statement to the police of what I'd seen.
And on a bizare incident on the M6 I saw a car try to drive up the white line between the 2nd and 3rd lane. Traffic was queueing and someone decided to try to filter through between the lanes (like you see motorcyclists doing) except he was in a car. He must have hit a dozen cars - from knocking wing mirrors to scratches down the side - fortunately he missed me as I was in lane 1. Pulled over to the hard shoulder with everyone else and he tried to drive off - he was p***ed so helped some of the other drivers he'd hit prevent him from leaving until the police turned up. I assume he was breathalised.

 

[scott b]

if you use that road all the time, then keep an eye out for police signs asking for info.

but you did the right thing, for all you know the bloke could of been of his face and dangerous

 

[voorhees]

I would say you did right as already said it was late so you just don't know if your endangering yourself,if it was daytime I would of stayed around to make sure he was okay until the ambulance arrived as shock means they aren't thinking right.

 

[A3Tom]

If you're not involved in the bump then you dont have to stop

I reckon he was either ******/uninsured and didnt want PC Plod arriving....but I bet someone else phoned it in anyway