Ambulance hit me

J

JuniorJet

Active member
 Surrey
Yesterday morning I was heading into work when an ambulance scuffed my rear end;
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Here is how it happened;
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Basically I moved as far forward as I could but it wasn't far enough and I was blocked by a lorry that stopped for the ambulance.

Here is the problem, I didn't get the registration, the ambulance didn't stop, I didn't stop for witnesses (although there were other cars around) because I needed to get to work and it wasn't exactly life threatening. Ambulances are all tracked so my understanding is they should be able to locate which ambulance used that path at about 8.40am - they are currently looking into this.

I have informed my insurance for legal purposes, but asked that they do not act unless instructed. If nothing comes of it, I will not be using my insurance to pay for the damage anyway because a) it is fairly minor and I can get it done one day while I'm at work, and b) my excess is £1250 so there's no point anyway - however if the ambulance pays then it saves me a paying anyway and obviously wouldn't affect my excess.

Can anyone advise on something like this they have seen before and how this may go? Heard a number of stories about ambulance services having their means of sorting this kind of thing out.
 
Sorry to hear that :-(

If they were on Blue's and Two's then they probably had to get somewhere fast, the driver must have known he'd hit you so I hope they put their hands up and everything gets sorted quickly and easily, best of luck :thumbsup:
 
marchantsuk said:
£1,250 excess :o
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x2 :o I was balking at £400 on mine...

Can't help with advice I'm afraid Tom, never happened to me or anyone I know. I hope you manage to get it fixed quickly :thumbsup:
 
You could try contacting your local ambulance station with details and time and I'm sure they will be identify the ambulance. May be difficult without witnesses unless the ambulance service comes forward. I would imagine it can happen occasionally and they would be geared up for minor accidents.

Tim.
 
If my crew and I were heading to a 'life risk' and we scuffed your car I probably wouldn't have stopped as nobody was injured. However I would have informed control on what had happened and where. Speak to ambulance control and ask for the 'Duty Manager' the will either be expecting your call already or carry out the investigation and get back to you with how you proceed.
 
From a strict legal perspective in these circumstances (non injury but damage to another's vehicle) the Road Traffic Act requires both drivers to stop at the scene following the accident and exchange details. Failure to do so is a strict liability offence. There are no exemptions other than limited amendments for the driver of an invalid carriage.
If having stopped details are not furnished at the time at the scene the accident has to be reported to the Police as soon as practicable. and in any case within 24 hrs (ie you can't leave it for 23 hrs without a good reason). Failure to report is another offence.
So as it stands both you and the ambulance driver have committed the offences of failing to stop and failing to report. The ambulance driver will have mitigation because he's on a blue light and MAY successfully claim he wasn't aware of clipping your car. It's your call but standard procedure for an emergency vehicle in these circumstances is to radio in the knock and carry on, it will be logged awaiting any contact from an aggrieved driver so you might be lucky. If there was damage to the ambulance they may well have reported the accident to the Police to comply with the Road Traffic Act.

Best and only advice for the future is to always stop, there and then. If the other driver doesn't stop or mucks around over details then call the Police from the scene and get it logged.......... unless you are p155ed in which case do one, lay low for a bit, report it stolen and don't get caught on CCTV (joke :P )
 
Ewazix said:
From a strict legal perspective in these circumstances (non injury but damage to another's vehicle) the Road Traffic Act requires both drivers to stop at the scene following the accident and exchange details. Failure to do so is a strict liability offence. There are no exemptions other than limited amendments for the driver of an invalid carriage.
If having stopped details are not furnished at the time at the scene the accident has to be reported to the Police as soon as practicable. and in any case within 24 hrs (ie you can't leave it for 23 hrs without a good reason). Failure to report is another offence.
So as it stands both you and the ambulance driver have committed the offences of failing to stop and failing to report. The ambulance driver will have mitigation because he's on a blue light and MAY successfully claim he wasn't aware of clipping your car. It's your call but standard procedure for an emergency vehicle in these circumstances is to radio in the knock and carry on, it will be logged awaiting any contact from an aggrieved driver so you might be lucky. If there was damage to the ambulance they may well have reported the accident to the Police to comply with the Road Traffic Act.

Best and only advice for the future is to always stop, there and then. If the other driver doesn't stop or mucks around over details then call the Police from the scene and get it logged.......... unless you are p155ed in which case do one, lay low for a bit, report it stolen and don't get caught on CCTV (joke :P )
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Talking from experience? :poke: :fuelfire:
 
Sorry to hear about the damage mate. I think you're looking at around £300 or so to get that sorted. A good sprayer will fill and blow in the colour, some may just do the whole bumper.

I'd go with contacting the ambulance service and speaking to the duty manager. Insurance companies will always go with the option that is the least effort, in my experience. You may need to do some of your own investigations.
 
Sorry to hear about the scrape. Looks superficial so if it becomes heavy tracking down ambulance, police reports , then probably best to bite the bullet and get it sprayed yourself. Unless they pay out fully you'll just get a prmium increase for years.

As an aside Why did you stop there and not drive forward until you cleared the lorry to a place where the ambulance could readily pass? From the diagram one could argue you blocked the road and caused the pinch point and resulting accident and damage and the ambulance had no choice but try to get through.
 
I don't understand the drawing as it looks you could just move forward without anything stopping you from doing so, as it looks like there were two lanes going your way so nothing would have stopped the ambulance on the inner lane anyway?
 
Oh god your biggest mistake was putting a drawing up :roll:

To be fair to the OP there are situations where circumstances can happen very quickly and you do what you think is right at that time but still come off worse, so just unlucky. It can be tricky at busy junctions where your turning right as once everyone hears the siren they will normally go in alsorts of directions just to get out the way so it guessing time which way the Ambulance etc will go.

Tim.
 
pvr said:
I don't understand the drawing as it looks you could just move forward without anything stopping you from doing so, as it looks like there were two lanes going your way so nothing would have stopped the ambulance on the inner lane anyway?
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if this is the case i agree with PVR.
 
TitanTim said:
Oh god your biggest mistake was putting a drawing up :roll:

To be fair to the OP there are situations where circumstances can happen very quickly and you do what you think is right at that time but still come off worse, so just unlucky. It can be tricky at busy junctions where your turning right as once everyone hears the siren they will normally go in alsorts of directions just to get out the way so it guessing time which way the Ambulance etc will go.

Tim.
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Who says op was turning right?
How do you get trapped against a lorry on the opposite side of a road?
Just curious as it seems so odd.

I agree people scatter and stop all over the place but this looks like an empty dual lane road. Only those there at the time know what was the right thing to do and real circumstances.
 
Looking at the drawing again, it looks like there is an arrow in front of his car turning right. I therefore assume it was the turn right lane and he could not turn right as his exit was blocked by the truck.
 
cj10jeeper said:
TitanTim said:
Oh god your biggest mistake was putting a drawing up :roll:

To be fair to the OP there are situations where circumstances can happen very quickly and you do what you think is right at that time but still come off worse, so just unlucky. It can be tricky at busy junctions where your turning right as once everyone hears the siren they will normally go in alsorts of directions just to get out the way so it guessing time which way the Ambulance etc will go.

Tim.
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Who says op was turning right?
How do you get trapped against a lorry on the opposite side of a road?
Just curious as it seems so odd.

I agree people scatter and stop all over the place but this looks like an empty dual lane road. Only those there at the time know what was the right thing to do and real circumstances.
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I didn't say he was turning right lol I just implied at junctions it can be tricky especially at traffic lights when turning right and your stuck in the middle of the junction, your options to take action can be limited. For all I know the OP was going straight ahead through the junction heard the siren, slowed a little to see where there ambulance was coming from, said ambulance cuts the corner and catches the rear of the car. Who knows the ambulance may have been going too fast to take the corner without cutting it. Its easy to say why didn't you do this or that when not there at the time :)

Tim.
 
pvr said:
Looking at the drawing again, it looks like there is an arrow in front of his car turning right. I therefore assume it was the turn right lane and he could not turn right as his exit was blocked by the truck.
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Yeah I was trying to turn right and the lorry blocked me just after I'd seen the ambulance coming, then it stopped and I was stuck.
 
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