Brake’s Road Safety Week 2024 takes place from 17 to 23 November. This year, the road safety charity’s campaign focuses on victims of road traffic accidents (RTAs) and is calling for the introduction of a Road Victims’ Charter to bring in sustainable funding and equitable care for road victims and their families.
Every year, more than 1,700 people die on UK roads and another 30,000 receive serious life-changing injuries.
Road Safety Week is Brake’s biggest road safety campaign. Thousands of organisations come together each year to exchange information, raise funds to help care for road victims and improve road safety.
To show our support for the campaign, in this blog, our specialist RTA personal injury lawyers look at what to do if you are involved in an accident on the roads.
What is a road traffic accident?
The law defines a road traffic accident (RTA) as a collision involving a vehicle on a road or in a public area that has caused damage or injury to a person, animal, vehicle or property.
RTAs can involve collisions between two or more road vehicles, between vehicles and pedestrians, animals or fixed obstacles, such as trees, buildings or stationary vehicles.
Road traffic accidents can cause injuries to many different road users, including:
- Motorists.
- Passengers.
- Motorcyclists.
- Cyclists.
- Pedestrians.
- Public transport passengers.
- Bystanders.
Injuries suffered because of an RTA vary in severity. In addition to fatalities and serious injuries (generally defined as any injury that requires a person to be hospitalised for more than 24 hours), some common RTA injuries include:
- Brain and head injuries.
- Whiplash and other neck injuries.
- Spinal cord injuries.
- Back injuries.
- Internal injuries.
- Psychological injuries.
- Facial injuries.
What should you do if you are in a car accident or another form of RTA?
If you are involved in a car crash or other collision on the roads, there are certain steps you must take, regardless of who was at fault.
It can help to follow this step-by-step guide of what to do after an RTA:
- Stop safely at the scene. Drivers, cyclists, and other road users should pull over as soon as it is safe and put on their hazard lights. Any pedestrians or bystanders involved should remain at the scene.
- Stay calm. If you are involved in an accident, it is essential to remain calm and not panic or lose your temper.
- Check for injuries. You should check yourself and anyone else involved in an RTA for injuries. If anyone is seriously hurt, call 999.
- Exchange details. Swap names, addresses, contact information, vehicle registration numbers and insurance details with the other parties involved in the accident.
- Record relevant information. Write down all pertinent details about the circumstances of the crash, such as the time, place, weather conditions, and what happened. If possible, you should also take photos of the scene.
- Report the accident. You don’t have to report an RTA to the police if you’ve exchanged details, nobody was injured and there are no allegations of driving offences.However, if anyone is injured, another vehicle fails to stop, or you suspect someone committed a driving offence, you should call the police. It is also advisable to notify your insurers about any accident you are involved in, even if you don’t intend to make a claim.
- Seek legal advice. If you have been involved in an RTA and are considering claiming compensation, you should seek legal advice. A specialist personal injury solicitor with experience in RTAs will assess your case and advise on the most appropriate way to proceed.
How long after a road traffic accident can you claim?
In most road traffic injury cases, you must make a claim within three years of the date of the accident, so it is important to seek legal advice from an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
At Langley Wellington LLP, our RTA compensation claims solicitors have many decades of experience between them and are recognised in the field for their expertise.
Members of our team have been appointed to the Law Society’s referral panel of Personal Injury Specialists, demonstrating our experience and commitment in this area. We are also accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), a non-profit organisation that has been fighting for the rights of injured people for more than 30 years.
If you have been the victim of a road traffic accident and are considering claiming compensation, get in touch with Langley Wellington.
You can call us on 01452 521 286, email us at lawyers@langleywellington.co.uk or make an online enquiry.
How much compensation do you receive for a road traffic accident?
The amount of compensation you are entitled to for a road traffic accident depends on the nature and severity of your injuries and any other costs or losses you may incur, such as medical expenses or loss of earnings.
Calculations are made on a case-by-case basis and can range from a few hundred pounds for minor injuries to millions of pounds in the most serious of instances.
Road Traffic Accident Solicitors Gloucestershire
Being involved in a road traffic accident can be extremely traumatic, especially if you or a loved one has been injured.
If you have been involved in a road traffic accident that wasn’t your fault, our personal injury solicitors can help you receive the support, advice and compensation you deserve.
Our experienced RTA solicitors in Cheltenham and Gloucester deal with cases with professionalism and sensitivity, assessing your cases as quickly as possible and advising on the most appropriate next steps.
Even if you have been injured because of a hit-and-run accident, or a collision with an uninsured driver, we can often help, thanks to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) scheme.
Call us on 01452 521 286, email us at lawyers@langleywellington.co.uk or make an online enquiry.
This blog is not intended to be taken as advice or acted upon. If you are seeking legal advice, please get in touch with our team of solicitors.
