Why do people drive off after an accident?

[macabethiel]

Well we have builders working on our house so during part of the day the wifes Santa Fe has been parked down the road so the fleet of Transits can park on my drive and on the pavement outside as they do.

Today at around 3.30 pm a Tesco delivery vehicle has reversed into the Santa Fe breaking the nearside rear lamp assembly, scuffing the bumper, putting a dent in the tailgate and a nice dent in the n/s quarter panel.

Driver stopped for a moment I am told then decided to drive off !

Lucy for me a neighbour's kid was in a car with his Mum and knew our vehicle so kindly recorded the registration number for me on his hand.

At present I have not involved the Police as I am giving the local store manager a chance to sort it out though the delivery fleet operate from an out of town store.
Lucky for me after replacing a couple of bulbs I have managed to Duct Tape the lamp in place so we can use it legally. MoT is due next month so will have to at least get a lamp fitted for the test.

 

[rustic]

Drive off... witness... call Police no option.:thumb2
Criminal damage.

Tesco know who the driver would be at that location, and time, as ALL deliveries are logged.

Chances are, Tesco will discipline the driver anyway, and this is probably classed as gross misconduct.
He will probably get sacked...
These are professional drivers, they get paid to drive.
The police are paid to investigate crimes too.

Why should you do the running around, who are you trying to protect?

 

[Terrano Steve]

Similar thing happened to my brother. Asda truck reversed into his Landcruiser didn't stop drove back to Asda then after seeing the damage to the asda truck felt guilty & phoned brother asking him to check his Landcruiser.

 

[perelaar]

Go to the police, and then let your insurer inform Tesco (maybe even sue them). The driver deserves to be sacked and fined - as far as I'm concerned he should even be banned from driving.

Have been in your case several times, but without witnesses.

 

[jims-terrano]

Yep get plod involved without a doubt.

Store manager could deny bump, cant if police involved.

 

[Sweety]

Contact the Police as Tesco's will poss try & worm out of it:augie if the driver gets done for driving off he may learn a good lesson:augie

 

[AlexD333]

Drive off... witness... call Police no option.:thumb2
Criminal damage.

Tesco know who the driver would be at that location, and time, as ALL deliveries are logged.

Chances are, Tesco will discipline the driver anyway, and this is probably classed as gross misconduct.
He will probably get sacked...
These are professional drivers, they get paid to drive.
The police are paid to investigate crimes too.

Why should you do the running around, who are you trying to protect?

Actually you'd best be careful here, make sure you atleast report it to the police incase later tescos ask for some sort of log ect
:nenau

 

[Paff]

Deffo report it to the Police for a crime number and your insurance company, if you don't you may have issues with your insurance company as you have to notify them of any accident.

 

[supergnome]

I think the driver has 24hrs to report it to police, if not its criminal damage. You should report it for you r claim. If he has no damage he will deny it happened otherwise he's sacked. The damage is upwards or £1000. Don't lose out on the repair, your insurance will probably go up anyway. David.

 

[bry]

Dont hold ya breath with the police.We was hit by a drunk driver that drove off.He hit us while reversing in in a truck with the a tail lift.We phoned the police.(Motorway Cops based about a mile away). Was told because it was Christmas time they were too busy.Never actually saw a cop about this.So i went to the papers, with the headlines SYP Keystone cops.
Forgot to add, we gave the cops the guys name.Following week the driver flew to Spain, to live with his mother.Word had got around that he was going to end up in a wheel chair.

But good luck anyway..

 

[panelbeater]

i had it happen to me in london,but a worker saw it and left a note on windscreen with lorrys name,got in touch tried to deny it gave proof of witness then money in bank,sorted.i did not involve plod though.as its was my trade i fixed all and had a lot left over.

 

[AlexD333]

Report to police.

I would hold off on insurance comp as you could say you didn't know immediately.

Chase supermarket for an outcome and play it from that.

When,if atall, speaking to insurance company get confirmation in email or writing or recorded phonecall that incident was a non fault!!!

 

[johnb5177]

Go to the police, and then let your insurer inform Tesco (maybe even sue them). The driver deserves to be sacked and fined - as far as I'm concerned he should even be banned from driving.

+ 1

I've been there too.........lowlifes who think they can just get away with it.........hammer them and their company.........

 

[firebobby]

Not defending the driver at all, but I sometimes drive a large truck and you wouldn't know you had clipped another vehicle, modern cabs are well insulated.
Some years ago I was in a builders yard when an artic lorry reversed into a small van on the drivers blind spot, the kid who was supposed to be watching him back was busy on his phone, the poor driver had no idea until the van owner went screaming across the yard.
Like I say, I'm not defending his actions, but it's just possible he didn't know he had hit your car.
The truck I use has a reverse camera and that's a god send.

 

[macabethiel]

Tesco response so far

Well the local store manager texted me to say they have located the van concerned with an apology from him for the inconvenience caused.

I have been asked to obtain an estimate for repairs and the Depot Manager will contact me on Monday. I have been given the contact number and name of the Depot Manager.

I am aware that when these vehicles are very noisy in the back due to the shelving and trays built into the rear body so at present I see little to be gained in involving the Police unless I hit a liability issue.

When I have the Tesco driver & Insurers details I will advise my Insurance Company. It might be that Tesco will pay without involving their insurers. Any hint of denial and I will report it to the Police but so far I get the impression Tesco do not want any adverse publicity so hopefully it will get sorted.

I will post progress. Interestingly the local store manager advised me that they have an on board collision monitoring system that logs on the tracker / monitor system fitted to their vehicles!

 

[AlexD333]

Well the local store manager texted me to say they have located the van concerned with an apology from him for the inconvenience caused.

I have been asked to obtain an estimate for repairs and the Depot Manager will contact me on Monday. I have been given the contact number and name of the Depot Manager.

I am aware that when these vehicles are very noisy in the back due to the shelving and trays built into the rear body so at present I see little to be gained in involving the Police unless I hit a liability issue.

When I have the Tesco driver & Insurers details I will advise my Insurance Company. It might be that Tesco will pay without involving their insurers. Any hint of denial and I will report it to the Police but so far I get the impression Tesco do not want any adverse publicity so hopefully it will get sorted.

I will post progress. Interestingly the local store manager advised me that they have an on board collision monitoring system that logs on the tracker / monitor system fitted to their vehicles!

Sounds like a step in the right direction, if you can, I would avoid the insurance companies all together if they will settle away from insurance companies. Saves hassle for you come renewal time, I hear too many stories time and time again on how their premium went up after a non fault accident. :thumb2

 

[solarman216]

from what I understand the driver looked at the damage so he knew, but drove off anyway, reminds me of a time in France with a 16 toner delivering in Paris, I had to turn left but could not due to parked cars on the corner of the junction so blocked the road, was not long for a copper to appear, asking what the problem was I showed him and he popped into all the cafe's in the locality, not finding any owners he instructed me to drive my vehicle, when I protested he tapped his side arm, I complied and drove forward turning left, felt the impact with the first car on tail swing, stopped, copper stood in front tapped his gun again and told me to advance, took 2 more cars out, I stopped when clear, as I was getting out of the cab he again tapped his side arm and told me in no uncertain terms to depart, they were the days, trucks parked overnight night on the roundabouts, 70's, Rick

 

[johnb5177]

from what I understand the driver looked at the damage so he knew, but drove off anyway, reminds me of a time in France with a 16 toner delivering in Paris, I had to turn left but could not due to parked cars on the corner of the junction so blocked the road, was not long for a copper to appear, asking what the problem was I showed him and he popped into all the cafe's in the locality, not finding any owners he instructed me to drive my vehicle, when I protested he tapped his side arm, I complied and drove forward turning left, felt the impact with the first car on tail swing, stopped, copper stood in front tapped his gun again and told me to advance, took 2 more cars out, I stopped when clear, as I was getting out of the cab he again tapped his side arm and told me in no uncertain terms to depart, they were the days, trucks parked overnight night on the roundabouts, 70's, Rick

First thing I was ever told, at an early age, when starting to travel in Europe........DO NOT even start to think about arguing with Les Flics......best if you don't even look at them!

 

[macabethiel]

Goodbye Santa FE RIP

Well things have got worse as someone ran into the nearside rear wheel of our Santa Fe before the Tesco damage has been fixed when wife was on her way to Aldi.

Its undriveable as n/s/r wheel now has huge positive camber so suspension is stiffed. Recovery vehicle driver thought its a total loss due to its age.

With Direct Line so waiting for verdict, we would like it fixed but unlikely. They are also now dealing with persuing Tesco Insurers for the first accident.

In a couple of weeks we will most probably be looking for a replacement 4 x 4 in the sub £4k price band so the quest will start again.

 

[panelbeater]

shame.