If you are involved in an accident you have a legal obligation to stop at the scene of the accident and provide your personal and insurance details to all the parties involved in the accident, whether you have collided with them or not, and irrespective of whether the accident is your fault or not. If you fail to exchange details for whatever reason you must report the accident a soon as possible at a police station and at least within 24 hours. Failure to report the accident within that time scale commits the offence of 'failing to report an accident'. If you are involved in an accident that involves hitting road furniture or perhaps a tree and do not report the accident you can still be prosecuted for failing to report the accident.

If you are being prosecuted for these offences you need expert legal representation. The issue of the awareness of an accident taking place needs to be carefully considered. A driver cannot report an accident that he/she does not know has happened.

SENTENCE

For both these offences the court can impose 5-10 penalty points or disqualification from driving in addition to imposing a financial penalty of up to £5,000 and up to 6 months imprisonment.