Getting information from DVLA

[JonwUK]

I recently was involved in an car accident, with the other driver running into the back of me when I stopped suddenly. The guy was pretty angry, considering he was at fault, and only gave me his name and the licence plate on the car.

 

I really don't want to lose my no-claims bonus, and I doubt he does either, so my question is, can I find out his contact information from the DVLA so I can sort it out with him without involving the insurance companies?

 

I know (from movies) that you can obtain driver information from the DMV in the US, can you do it here?

 

Thanks for any and all advice

 

JonwUk

[Rob S]

You can get the info from DVLA, but the guy who hit you is obliged by law to supply you with his name, address, the reg number and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle if it doesn't belong to him. If he fails to provide any of this information then you should report the accident to the police as soon as possible and advise them of his failure to supply you with the relevant information. If you were injured in the accident then he should also supply you with his insurance details.

[crem]

If it wasn't your fault, why would you not want to put it through your insurance company and let them handle it for you. If/when the claim is successful against the other driver then you won't loose any of your no claims discount.

[JonwUK]

If it wasn't your fault, why would you not want to put it through your insurance company and let them handle it for you. If/when the claim is successful against the other driver then you won't loose any of your no claims discount.

 

Yep thats true, however the last time I made a claim the other party insisted I was in the wrong and my insurance company (Direct Line at the time) refused to believe me and take the matter to court, despite the fact that photographic evidence of the damage to my vehicle clearly showed the other party's story to be a complete fallacy.

 

Thanks for the reply though.

 

That said, I can always pass the matter on to my insurer if the other guy doesn't want to settle, I'd just prefer to sort it out asap rather than wait months for it to go back and forth between insurance companies.

 

You can get the info from DVLA, but the guy who hit you is obliged by law to supply you with his name, address, the reg number and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle if it doesn't belong to him.

 

Thanks for the info Rob S, any idea how I go about getting it? email, phone etc?

 

All I gave him was my name, land line number and the name of my insurer, would I be liable too? He was pretty agitated and I didn't feel like asking him for more of his info in case he punched me on the nose!

[Rob S]

It's all here:-

 

Apply to request information from DVLA vehicle records (V888) : Directgov - Do it online

 

And here:-

 

How to request information from DVLA records

 

If you report it to police you could say you were fearful of being assaulted which is why you didn't give the full details.

[JonwUK]

Many thanks for the information, and the advice!

[crem]

You can get the info from DVLA, but the guy who hit you is obliged by law to supply you with his name, address, the reg number and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle if it doesn't belong to him. If he fails to provide any of this information then you should report the accident to the police as soon as possible and advise them of his failure to supply you with the relevant information. If you were injured in the accident then he should also supply you with his insurance details.

 

I thought you only had to supply "contact details"? As such I would have thought your name, insurance company and policy number would suffice as "contact details". I certainly would not want to supply my home address and phone number to someone whom I may consider to be threatening.

[Rob S]

I thought you only had to supply "contact details"? As such I would have thought your name, insurance company and policy number would suffice as "contact details". I certainly would not want to supply my home address and phone number to someone whom I may consider to be threatening.

 

Crem,

 

It's covered by section 170 of the Road Traffic Act and it is very specific as to what you have to supply. You don't have to supply a telephone number though.

 

170: Duties in case of accident

Duty of driver to stop, report accident and give information or documents.

(1) This section applies in a case where, owing to the presence of a Mechanically Propelled Vehicle on a road or other public place, an accident occurs by which - (a) personal injury is caused to a person other than the driver of that vehicle, or

(b) damage is caused - (i) to a vehicle other than that mechanically propelled vehicle or a trailer drawn by that mechanically propelled vehicle, or

(ii) to an animal other than an animal in or on that mechanically propelled vehicle or a trailer drawn by that mechanically propelled vehicle, or

(iii) to any other property constructed on, fixed to, growing in or otherwise forming part of the land on which the road in question is situated or land adjacent to such land.(2) The driver of the mechanically propelled vehicle must stop and, if required to do so by any person having reasonable grounds for so requiring, give his name and address and also the name and address of the owner and the identification marks of the vehicle.

(3) If for any reason the driver of the mechanically propelled vehicle does not give his name and address under subsection (2) above, he must report the accident.

(4) A person who fails to comply with subsection (2) or (3) above is guilty of an offence.

(5) If, in a case where this section applies by virtue of subsection (1)(a) above, the driver of the vehicle does not at the time of the accident produce such a certificate of insurance or security, or other evidence, as is mentioned in section 165(2)(a) of this Act -

(a) to a constable, or

(b) to some person who, having reasonable grounds for so doing, has required him to produce it,

the driver must report the accident and produce such a certificate or other evidence.

This subsection does not apply to the driver of an invalid carriage.

(6) To comply with a duty under this section to report an accident or to produce such a certificate of insurance or security, or other evidence, as is mentioned in section 165(2)(a) of this Act, the driver -

(a) must do so at a police station or to a constable, and

(b) must do so as soon as is reasonably practicable and, in any case, within twenty-four hours of the occurrence of the accident.

(7) A person who fails to comply with a duty under subsection (5) above is guilty of an offence, but he shall not be convicted by reason only of a failure to produce a certificate or other evidence if, within seven days after the occurrence of the accident, the certificate or other evidence is produced at a police station that was specified by him at the time when the accident was reported.

(8) In this section "animal" means horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog.

[fwog]

You can get the info from DVLA, but the guy who hit you is obliged by law to supply you with his name, address, the reg number and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle if it doesn't belong to him. If he fails to provide any of this information then you should report the accident to the police as soon as possible and advise them of his failure to supply you with the relevant information. If you were injured in the accident then he should also supply you with his insurance details.

 

I wouldn't bother. The same happened to me a year ago. A bloke rear ended me at some lights, I got out of the car and exchanged details. His face dropped when he saw I'd took his reg number. All the details he had supplied were false. I told the insurers I would contact the police. They were less than interested, even though I'd explained that I had the guys reg number and he'd left the scene of an accident without leaving his details. Their response was to make a statement to the police for their investigation which would take anything upto three weeks. I had to return to the station with my driving licence,passport (to prove who I was) and all other passengers....at that point I walked out before I was cautioned for abusive language.

 

Fwog