Just driving to work this morning and stopped in a queue of traffic near a T-Junction. I left a couple of feet between me and the car in front as I always do and the kid assumed I was letting him go. He walked out into a car turning the corner into the road, hitting his thigh and lifting him into the air. The other driver was doing about 10mph, not fast or anything. The kid threw up and was fairly compos mentis afterwards but obviously shaken with some cuts and bruises to his head.
The driver got out and had a go at me for "Letting him cross", which I didnt do intentionally, he saw a gap and went for it. After he calmed down and I explained I didnt wave him on he was ok, obviously his adrenaline was pumping and he was shocked.
I offered to call an ambulance but the driver said he would take the kid home to his parents, then drove away.
Obviously, I was a little shocked and not thinking straight but isnt it the correct procedure to call an ambulance and wait?
I didnt take any details (Even though I was only a witness) and feel a little guilty for not helping the kid a bit more and allowing him to get into a car with someone he didnt know.
Any advice on what I could have done better?
I would call the police, if you witnessed an RTA where a child was injured and then the injured child was taken from the scene by the driver of the vehicle, a stranger.
I would make the call.
K
I didnt get any info, all I know is that it was a black astra.
I would still call the police and let them know what you saw, the lads parents may well have called the police in order to make a claim against the driver and it woiuld be good for them to know that someone else saw what happened.
Make the call for your own peace of mind, you were in shock yourself and as such may not of made the right decisions, but if you make the call they will know if the kid attended hospital. The driver was out of order taking the lad in his car. No insurance maybe ?
As Cathie and Dilly have both said - call the police NOW ! Don't leave it any longer. It doesn't look too good if you don't contact them. The other guy could invent any sort of crap. Yes, always difficult to think rationally in such a situation. Hindsight is a great thing! Alway carry a scrap of paper and a pencil and bung down every number plate in sight.
I agree with Dilly, taking the lad to hospital (if that's were he took him?) was out of order.
Make that call now!
you defo need to let the cops know and i agree dilly maybe no insurance
Told the police what happened and they have logged it. The accident was reported earlier so hopefully everything will be above board and ok.
Well done.
Try and put it at the back of your mind now.
Well done mate, you did the right thing.
K
Hope your okay yourself too...shock can be delayed in this kind of circumstance. Keep any eye on yourself and take it easy for a day or two. You did the right thing in contacting the Police ....it will help put your mind at ease.Take care.
Not a nice thing to happen at all.You were right to tell police and I think maybe a call to your insurance company just to be on the safe side.These things sometimes come back to bite us.
Hope the boy is ok too.
Absolutely. If this kid makes a claim, and he should rightly do so, I'd have no doubts the driver and / or his insurance company will try and put the blame on you in some way.
I notice two comments that suggest the kid should make a claim why? hes obviously walked out from between two cars into the path of another!so if you walk out into the road and emerge suddenly infront of an oncoming car you can sue the driver, the evidence given at the minute initially points toward the kid being the cause of the accident,still I hope everyone is well and suffers no after effects.
I can't see where anybody says the boy should make a claim but it is always wise to let your insurance know of any incident no matter how innocent you feel/know you are.In this case the police could possibly say both cars left the scene of an accident.Never know how these things turn out so always cover your back.
DO NOT TELL YOUR INSURANCE.
You were not involved in an accident, simply a witness.
If you tell insurance company it will be a note on your file, could be used to increase premium as they could regard you a higher risk.
I have seen this sort of thing on watchdog.
Hope you are ok and hope the lad is too.
what a fooking gobshite trying to blame you
Reporting the Incident to the Police is the correct thing to do.
Make sure you get a Log Number (I reported a incident with out a log number and guess what it cant be found.) I was also told that now if you Log a Incident with the police you get a visit from the community police officers? I was told that when i reported an incident a second time. And with out a log number you have no proof its been officialy logged.
Just a point of be aware?
If you flash someone with your head lights to turn into a junction or to offer right of way and there is an accident you can be prosecuted. Your Headlights only warn of your presents and are not meant as a "ok fred"
I don't see any reason to contact your insurance.
I didnt flash, wave or beep anyone across. The kid saw a gap and walked out into oncoming traffic. Its not my fault at all.
I don't think anyone is blaming you Deano. But if it does become a claim issue I wouldn't put it past the other driver or his insurance company to blame you.
Someone ran into the back of me a few years ago, the driver and his insurance company tried to blame me for braking heavily.
As for the driver who hit the kid, it all depends on who was on the road first:
Highway Code Rule 170Take extra care at junctions. You should:
Watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way
https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/road-junctions-170-to-183Car drivers seem to not know this rule, I've been pipped or sworn at in the past!
