Drivers told to 'report it within 24 hours' or face £5,000 fine and court

Drivers have been warned to avoid escaping after an accident to prevent a £5,000 fine and court appearance. Mark Llewellyn, managing director of the vehicle repair service company Revive! Auto Innovations, has urged drivers not to flee the scene if they have caused an accident with another vehicle.

He said: "Busy car parks can be hectic, making it easier for offenders to disappear after causing damage, but with expanded monitoring and enforcement, we’re ensuring that drivers who cause damage are held accountable.

"The technology is a step forward in creating safer parking environments, protecting honest motorists from bearing the cost." Leaving the scene of an accident involving injury or damage is an offence which carries a maximum penalty of 6 months imprisonment. If you are charged with failing to stop after an accident you should seek legal advice as soon as possible.

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According to the Road Traffic Act 1988 s 170 (2), it is an offence for a driver of a vehicle to fail to stop and give their details when involved in an accident that has caused either damage or injury to someone other than the driver or the driver’s vehicle.

You must stop in order to provide personal and vehicle details to enable prompt communication. If you do not, or you give false details, you are breaking the law. It does not matter whose fault the accident is, the requirement is to stop “at the scene”, so leaving the scene of the accident even for a short period of time is illegal. If you revisit the scene after initially driving away for a short time, you may still have committed an offence.

If for some reason you fail to stop after being involved in an accident, or fail to exchange details, you must report the incident to the police as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event, within 24 hours of the time of the accident.