Statistics on the number of uninsured or untraced drivers
In the UK alone there are over 1M uninsured drivers in our roads – a staggering amount that equates to more than 1 in every 40 cars on the road.
Accidents on UK roads are common and statistics show that a good number of these accidents will involve an uninsured or untraced driver – far higher than for example Germany with 1 in 500 drivers being uninsured or Sweden with 1 in 1000.
So what should you do if an uninsured or untraced driver hits you?
Typically the insurance company of the driver at fault would pay for property and injury damages in an accident claim but it becomes much more complicated when that person is not covered or fails to stop at the scene of the accident.
25,000 accidents every year therefore have to be made against an organisation called the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). Insurance companies UK wide fund the MIB which acts in effect as an emergency funding for people who have been involved in an accident that was not their fault and whom have suffered some sort of physical or property damage.
These sorts of accidents can be quite difficult to prove so it pays to have a decent solicitor on your side. A solicitor can help get you the correct medical examination and physical rehabilitation, depending on the injury sustained, expenses going forward for care, special equipment needs and so forth
Russell Worths advice to improve your chances of being successful in claiming against uninsured or untraced drivers:
- If people are injured then the obvious first step is to call the police – do this before ANYTHING else.
- Take a note of the other cars registration – especially if it looks like they are leaving the scene without exchanging personal details – this happens a lot with uninsured or untraced drivers
- Gather witness details including names and telephone numbers.
- Take a decent amount of photos of the scene along with the damage to your car.
- Notify the police – for this to go down as an open case you have 5 days to do this for property damage and 14 days for an injury.
- Visit a medical professional as quickly as possible. What may seem like minor injuries could get worse if not treated and unquestionably if you have had any kind of knock to the head, you must head straight to see a doctor.
- Contact a solicitors firm who specialise in personal injury claims. They can give you the advice and professional knowledge you need to make a successful claim against an uninsured or untraced party.
If you would like to discuss whether or not you have a claim with a trained legal representative then our friendly staff here at Russell Worth Solicitors will happily talk you through things. They are available from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday on 0800 028 2060.
