I've Had an Accident in my Company's Van. Where Do I Stand?

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I’ve Had an Accident in my Company’s Van. Where Do I Stand?

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February 18, 2009 at 2:19 am

#695024
1

2old4this

@2old4this

Member
I am a UK courier, and I’ve had an accident in my company’s van. Where do i stand legally? And also, with my employers?

While out on my route the other day, I unfortunately ran into the car in front of me when traffic stopped suddenly. The van is a write-off, so is the car in front. I was doing about 30 mph, approx.

This was my first ever accident, it has shaken me up, and now i’m not sure what position, legally, i am in? The policeman who took my statement, 2 days later, said he doubted it would go to court, in his professional opinion. But even so, my company can discipline me and make me liable to pay for damage caused – i think?? I am quite worried at the moment! It was a genuine accident, I was blinded by some severe low sun, for a second or two, and didn’t see immediately that the traffic ahead had suddenly stopped. When i did see it, i was unable to avoid the collision, but did my best to minimise the inevitable impact. feel awful about it, but it truly was an accident, which i think could happen to anyone? I’d be very grateful for any advice? Thanks in advance.

* btw – no-one was hurt badly, thankfully, 2 pple had whiplash, although i didn’t know this until the next day, so spent Fri nite freaking out, thought i had paralysed someone for life! :-/

** Dammit, i pride myself on being a good driver, I don’t make/take calls on the move. My attention is on the road always. I don’t DO road rage, showing off, I don’t DO accidents! Really pissed off, can’t believe this happened. And the damage!! At 30 ish mph?! Unreal. Think the shock is still kicking in, this happened Friday :-/
February 18, 2009 at 8:11 am

#917581
1

binge

@binge

Member
It happens- try not to worry about it. I did the very same thing when I was driving round the county collecting water samples. The first day I went out my myself I drove into the back of some poor girl- barely a mile from my house as well!

The company’s insurance will cover it- you can guarantee it’s not the first time it’s happened if it’s a courier company. The people probably haven’t got whiplash- in this day and age if anyone has any type of accident they immediately run to get a doctors note so they can claim compensation. Again, this will come from the insurance company.

In fact, nothing will happen to you. As it’s on the company insurance it won’t go on your license, the company itself will prob just give you a talking to.

The only thing you have to worry about is feeling like a complete tit- everyone does and there’s nothing you can really do about it!

Hope this helps.
February 18, 2009 at 9:26 pm

#917586
1

marcusblanc

@marcusblanc

Member
where do u stand?

on the naughty step for a bit, hopefully :wink:… i figure you arnt the first courier to stack it, so the companies must be used to it. I don’t think they can make you pay, are you self-employed?

i’d really try not to have another one for a bit tho..
February 18, 2009 at 9:30 pm

#917597
1

DaftFader

@daftfader

Participant
yeah where i work we have a lorry fleet of about 50 lorrys and they crash all the time .. i think they kind of expect it from time to time … the company should have insurance .. as long as you don’t do it all the time i don’t think any thing will become of it .. obviosly if you crash on a regula basis they will probably sack you as you can’t do your job properly .. but once i don’t think they will even care about … also my last job had a lorry fleet and they had crashes from time to time as well … same deal there
February 18, 2009 at 9:40 pm

#917575
6

General Lighting

@general-lighting

Moderator
Staff
as costly and frightening the damage may be its what kept you and the other people out of addenbrookes ICU, modern motor vehicles are made to sacrifice the vehicle crumple zones in the event of a lower speed collision…

the cop has already felt there is no criminal case to answer – bear in mind if any dangerous driving was suspected traffic units could have had you arrested there and then (such as what happened to the idiot what destroyed the level crossing barriers a couple of days ago at Kelvedon Essex, due to being drunk and angry).

it would be difficult for your employers to make you financially liable or discipline you because of the cops action in not arresting you immediately nor calling in the Collision Investigation unit.

Even in a civil court there is a strong argument that couriers and delivery are made to drive long distances under time pressures, and even if they keep within traffic laws occasional collisions are simply the risks of doing business.

its a sobering thought to think how many lives are risked and in some cases even lost simply to get our business packages delivered on time and keep the consumer society going…
February 22, 2009 at 9:49 am

#917576
6

General Lighting

@general-lighting

Moderator
Staff
yesterday there was a really nasty crash in Ipswich – two young girls dead and a third seriously injured as a car somehow ploughed into them as they were walking back down the road.

cops immediately arrested both the driver and passenger (!) on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving – the policy across East Anglian constabularies definitely appears to be an immediate arrest if bad driving is suspected – if this didn’t happen to you its 99% sure you are in the clear.
February 22, 2009 at 4:43 pm

#917588
1

MisterDuck

@misterduck

Member
General Lighting;309484 wrote:

yesterday there was a really nasty crash in Ipswich – two young girls dead and a third seriously injured as a car somehow ploughed into them as they were walking back down the road.

cops immediately arrested both the driver and passenger (!) on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving – the policy across East Anglian constabularies definitely appears to be an immediate arrest if bad driving is suspected – if this didn’t happen to you its 99% sure you are in the clear.

:hopeless:

this happened last year here, an 18 year old and a 20 year old – the driver was 17, and didnt have a license:
Aidan Marshall charged over crash deaths of Amy Hardy and Lindsay Coulter-Maltby
February 22, 2009 at 5:12 pm

#917577
6

General Lighting

@general-lighting

Moderator
Staff
fucking hell, I’ve looked at the local news and there’s another bloke got run over by a young couple in a car (both were arrested) – he suffered serious head injuries but is recovering in Ipswich hospital (at least he’s not that badly hurt or it would be addenbrookes)

Maybe cops arrest passengers if they can’t prove who was driving the car, so it puts pressure either on the driver to confess or the passengers to turn him/her in – but does that mean if any of us are out on the road as passengers and our driver stacks it, that all of us would get arrested (even from our hospital beds?)
February 23, 2009 at 1:06 am

#917582
1

globalloon

@globalloon

Member
mate, you’ll be covered under your employers insurance. end of

@General Lighting 308756 wrote:

as costly and frightening the damage may be its what kept you and the other people out of addenbrookes ICU, modern motor vehicles are made to sacrifice the vehicle crumple zones in the event of a lower speed collision…

does anyone understand that sentance? 😉
February 23, 2009 at 1:44 am

#917598
1

DaftFader

@daftfader

Participant
globalloon;309592 wrote:

mate, you’ll be covered under your employers insurance. end of

does anyone understand that sentance? 😉

i think he means “beep beep get out of my way jerkoff”?:weee:
February 23, 2009 at 1:48 am

#917578
6

General Lighting

@general-lighting

Moderator
Staff
amongst my friends and colleagues and just the local population way too many of them have definitely learned what a crumple zone does the hard way :hopeless: loads of people round here stack their cars with alarming regularity … and its not always definite protection – at least 5 ravers have been killed (and other seriously injured) coming back from Norfolk raves since 2000 or so…
February 23, 2009 at 1:56 am

#917599
1

DaftFader

@daftfader

Participant
General Lighting;309599 wrote:

amongst my friends and colleagues and just the local population way too many of them have definitely learned what a crumple zone does the hard way :hopeless: loads of people round here stack their cars with alarming regularity … and its not always definite protection – at least 5 ravers have been killed (and other seriously injured) coming back from Norfolk raves since 2000 or so…

my mum works in a school and lightly tapped one of the parents 4×4’s .. hardly a scratch on the 4×4 (at the back) and cos my mum hit them with the front of her car (crumple zone) her car was a wright off as the bonet bent up so easy some other things got damaged too(was a ford ka several years old)
February 23, 2009 at 2:01 am

#917579
6

General Lighting

@general-lighting

Moderator
Staff
and people on foot or bicycles don’t have crumple zones…

That foxhall road crash was bad enough that my little sister (who lives 150 miles away) had heard about it as its made national news (and its not the sort of road you’d expect this to happen on)

was saying to mudstomper on MSN I’m gonna stop listening to MP3s whilst cycling so I can always hear traffic as at least I can hear if someone is driving a bit fast or eratically from the engine noise…
February 23, 2009 at 2:04 am

#917600
1

DaftFader

@daftfader

Participant
General Lighting;309601 wrote:

and people on foot or bicycles don’t have crumple zones…

That foxhall road crash was bad enough that my little sister (who lives 150 miles away) had heard about it as its made national news (and its not the sort of road you’d expect this to happen on)

was saying to mudstomper on MSN I’m gonna stop listening to MP3s whilst cycling so I can always hear traffic as at least I can hear if someone is driving a bit fast or eratically from the engine noise…

yeah thats not a bad idea .. mby just keep one ear piece in then you can have the best of both worlds 😉
February 24, 2009 at 7:36 pm

#917584
1

Raj

@raj

Member
I never dare wear earphones while cycling or walking – way to dangerous. Mind I am ok if my dog is with me – she sits when she hears vehicles approaching [after jumping off the road] and wont cross till she feels its safe
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