What should I do after a minor bump?
What the law requires you to exchange, the photographs that decide liability months later, and why admitting fault at the scene is both unnecessary and unhelpful.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 20 min
- Read
- 5 min
- Safety
- caution
Short answer
Stop — you are legally required to. Exchange names, addresses and vehicle registrations with anyone whose property was damaged, and if you cannot do that at the scene you must report it to the police within 24 hours. Photograph the scene before anything moves: both cars, the damage, the road layout, and the other vehicle's number plate. Do not say whose fault it was; report the facts to your insurer and let them decide.
The odd thing about a minor collision is that the paperwork is often more consequential than the damage. Two people agree it was nothing, exchange first names, and drive off. Six weeks later one of them has made a claim describing a different sequence of events, and the other has no photographs, no witness, no registration number and no note of the time. The five minutes spent at the scene is what determines the outcome, and almost none of it is about the dent.
Safety
Step by step
- Stop, and make the scene safe.Stopping is a legal requirement under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act. Hazard lights on, engine off, everyone out on the pavement side and away from traffic if you are on a road. On a motorway, get behind the barrier.
- Check whether anyone is hurt before anything else.Ask, rather than assuming. Neck and back symptoms often appear hours later, so "I feel fine" is not the end of it, but any suggestion of injury means calling the emergency services.
- Exchange the details the law actually requires.Your name and address, the vehicle owner's name and address if different, and the registration number. Give them to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask, which means the other driver and any property owner. Take the same from them, and take a note of their insurer if they will give it.
- Photograph before anything moves, if it is safe.Wide shots showing both vehicles in position and the road layout, close-ups of the damage on both cars, the other vehicle's number plate clearly, road markings and signs, skid marks or debris, and the weather and light conditions. If it is not safe to leave the cars where they are, photograph quickly and then move them.
- Get witness details if anyone stopped.A name and phone number from an independent witness is the single most valuable thing you can leave the scene with, and it becomes impossible to obtain afterwards.
- Say what happened, not whose fault it was.Apologising or accepting blame at the scene is a very human reaction and it is not your decision to make — liability is determined on the evidence and can be split. Stick to exchanging information and describing what you saw.
- Report to the police within 24 hours if details were not exchanged.Section 170 requires it if you could not give your details at the scene, and it must be in person at a police station as soon as reasonably practicable and within 24 hours. Also call the police at the time if the other driver leaves, appears to be uninsured, or is behaving unreasonably.
- Tell your insurer even if you are not claiming.Almost every policy requires notification of any incident, whether or not a claim follows. Failing to report it can invalidate cover if the other party claims later, which they frequently do. Notifying for information only does not automatically count as a claim.
- Check the car before driving on.Lights working, nothing rubbing on a tyre, no fluid leaking, bumper not likely to fall off, and no warning lights. Modern bumpers hide radar and camera sensors, so a light knock can disable driver assistance systems.
Common mistakes
- Driving away because it seemed trivial — Failing to stop and exchange details is a criminal offence, regardless of how minor the damage seemed at the time.
- Relying on a phone number alone — Numbers get disconnected and disputed. The registration number is the thing that identifies the vehicle and its insurer, and it is on the car whether or not the driver cooperates.
If it doesn't work
Other driver refuses to give details or drives off
Cause: Uninsured, or panicking — Fix: Do not follow them. Photograph the registration and call the police — failing to stop and give details is an offence, and your insurer will need the report reference. The Motor Insurers' Bureau exists for untraced and uninsured drivers.
Damage looks like nothing but a claim arrives weeks later
Cause: Common, and the reason to notify your insurer immediately — Fix: Give your insurer the photographs and notes. This is exactly the scenario the scene evidence is for.
Car park bump with no owner present
Cause: Unattended vehicle — Fix: The same duty applies. Leave a note with your details and, since notes go missing, report it to the police within 24 hours as well and photograph the note in place.
Warning lights or assistance systems misbehaving after a light knock
Cause: Sensors behind the bumper disturbed — Fix: Have it scanned. Parking sensors, radar and cameras are commonly mounted exactly where minor impacts land, and a misaligned radar can behave worse than one that is simply off.
The other party wants to settle privately
Cause: Avoiding a claim and a premium increase — Fix: It is legal, but get their details anyway and still notify your insurer for information. People change their minds after a repair quote arrives, and without details you have no recourse.
Questions people ask
Do I have to call the police for a minor bump?
Not if nobody is hurt, the road is not obstructed and details were exchanged properly. You must report to the police within 24 hours if you were unable to give your details at the scene, and you should call them if the other driver leaves, is uninsured, or appears unfit to drive.
Will telling my insurer put my premium up even if I do not claim?
It can affect your renewal, because insurers price on incidents as well as claims. Not telling them is far riskier: an undisclosed incident that later becomes a claim can invalidate the policy, which is a much bigger problem than a higher renewal.
What if it happens in a car park on private land?
The statutory duty to stop and exchange details applies to roads and other public places, which covers most supermarket and public car parks. Even where it might not, exchanging details and photographing the scene is the same practical advice.