urgent advice please - wife just had a crash

Hi all, I've just got home after collecting my wife and two kids after some old guy just pulled out in front of her.

My family are safe and it was under 30mph , quite a bit less by the looks of the footage on the dash cam.

The other driver was pulling onto the main road from the right hand side, through stationery traffic. He pulled out very slowly, and didn't seem to be looking. He is clearly still traveling (in footage) as my disco is screeching to a halt on the corner of his Peugeot 308/9 and is still moving as he goes out of shot.

Ive got pics of the tyres marks on the road, none were his.

My wife is pretty shaken as although its a very minor bump (impact mostly taken on our front driver wheel and snapped the steering drag link) and feeling guilty because he's an old guy who was shaky and complaining of feeling numb and a bit unwell, though he did drive away (then he called plod).

I was at work so borrowed a work van to go get them.

Plod turned up and we informed him of what happened, but my wife was explaining things and still feeling guilty, which I was obviously trying to balance out as I dont think she's at fault.

Her thought is that she could possibly have done more, but looking at the video I disagree.

To add to it all she only passed her test in October!

I'm just after some reassurance really. Have called the insurers (nfu) so starting the ball rolling. This is my first actual claim, so wondering what to expect next - its easy to talk about isn't it, but when it happens to you its a bit different isn't it!

Any advice?

Also could do with a quick chat with fanny/bb over pm/phone after I'm back with the truck?

Stop press! On the phone to his insurers who have admitted liability. (Churchill)

cups of tea all round. whiplash can take a few days to kick in. might want to add medical costs/doc visits.

but mainly make sure everyone is alright. it's only a bit of metal and some cash.

she'll be in shock, maybe watch the cam footage with her to reassure that she did everything as expected. then get her behind the wheel asap.

lz11 is on this weekend, they are probably all bladdered

Only advice is let the insurers take care of everything and never admit responsibility even if it is your fault (for future reference)

As said whiplash can take couple of days to show up and if these's any pain get down A&E and inform your insurance, don't be to surprised when the ambulance chasers call you and be glad no one was seriously hurt and tell her not to feel guilty, if she wasn't paying attention and driving responsibly it doesn't bear thinking about, especially with your kids in the car

Tax Thanks bud! Very reassuring

Just got off the phone from their insurance who have offered a gaylander or a slitty as a discourtesy car! Tricky choices!

I've said I want to nominate a repairer or do the job myself which they seem to class as the same thing, and sounded happy with.

Is there likely to be any damage to the axle assembly or chassis? I know the impact rogered the drag link, and the power steering box has ****ed out a load of fluid, so that probably needs a new un -anything else I should check and make sure not to overlook?

The bloke did ask if anyone was injured, but I can't be doing with all the whiplash claim nonsense, it just doesn't sit right with me.

They'll want to send out an assessor too - anything to be aware or wary of?

Marmaduke said:

Only advice is let the insurers take care of everything and never admit responsibility even if it is your fault (for future reference)

As said whiplash can take couple of days to show up and if these's any pain get down A&E and inform your insurance, don't be to surprised when the ambulance chasers call you and be glad no one was seriously hurt and tell her not to feel guilty, if she wasn't paying attention and driving responsibly it doesn't bear thinking about, especially with your kids in the car

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Exactly, it infact makes me really angry to think that this bloke has caused this accident by not being aware of a feck off great big red disco slowly trundling up towards him - what if it was a 50/60mph limit? My wife and kids would be in a bad way or worse

Sorry to hear that bud. Just leave it to the insurance companies to sort out. If they're paying if be tempted to just let a mechanic sort it all out and check everything over.

In any deceleration event expect a bit of whiplash, typically affects the neck and shoulder muscles. Bit of aching and stiffness for a few days alleviated by NSAIDs like ibuprofen is normal. Severe back pain, head aches and shoulder/neck pain lasting more than a week isn't.

Understandable to feel guilty but these things happen.

As for the gaylander, just put it down to life experience!

Saltlick said:

Exactly, it infact makes me really angry to think that this bloke has caused this accident by not being aware of a feck off great big red disco slowly trundling up towards him - what if it was a 50/60mph limit? My wife and kids would be in a bad way or worse

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Bud there are crap drivers everywhere and not only old giffers, just get her back behind the wheel as soon as and enjoy your courtesy car, if it's like for like you might end up with a shiny new disco

Fair comment - someone else said that to me too, though I like the one I've got!
It would have to be another 300tdi - anything newer would cost a bloody fortune in diesel!

Just got the disco home, and I can't be sure, but I think the wing may have been pushed back a smidge, adding a slight wrinkle to the door skin near both the hinge and the lock

It's certainly making me look closely at the front bodywork and chassis outrigger - the recovery bloke thinks the off side wheel is sitting further back than the N/S :Cry:

they'll want to write it off. you can buy it back from them and be quids in. but best to talk to those that have done it after the weekend i reckon

been here done this.

watch his story doesnt change.

****s did that to us.

pinned it on us.

at least you have a dash cam on your side.

also - look behind the front spring mount - thats where they crumple usually.

Cheers, will have a good look tomorrow- though I guess I shouldn't really do anything until an assessor has been?

Kinda wish I was at lz11 now, then the wife a And kids would've been safely at home!

Phone battery on its last legs and not as sensible as I could be but happy to have a chat in the morning if I can help in any way.

Drop me a PM Salt

Cheers bb

Just been trying to get something equivalent to my disco from them as a discourtesy car, but apparently renting a car with a tow bar for use on farm tracks and taking dogs in is almost impossible

I thought a double cab 110 would be a good compromise as the dog can go in the pick up, so not really 'in' the car, but they probably won't have one.

They make a big song and dance about minimising disruption, but so far I've been chasing them all morning without success and it turns out that Enterprise renta car closed for the weekend at 12 today.
Wtf is that about!? That's just useless to me, stuck out of town (at home) without transport...

Glad you family escaped injury. The advice thus far posted is helpful, just one thing I would like to add for everyone's benefit. Should you find yourselves in the same position be aware that you are not obliged to make a statement to the attending officer at the time if you have been shaken-up by the accident & could therefore be suffering from shock. Under these circumstances you can arrange for your statement to be taken at you home when you have recovered sufficiently for the facts to be clear in your mind.
Don't feel too much for the 'old boy' driving the other car, his actions (or lack of them) could have had a devastating effect on your family & perhaps he should now consider hanging up his driving gloves.

You only really find out how good your insurance company is when you really need them

Remember this event when your renewal is due

Salt how old is this allegedly old boy? How old is you wife and how long has she been driving?

The old giffer was easily over 70, the wife is in her thirties and passed her test in October. Obviously if she had passed her test a few years ago the old guy would have been looking or not pulled out at all, but that can't be helped.

Well the wheel had definitely moved back and is about 1.25" closer to the back of the arch than the other side, which obviously sent the load straight down the hockey stick, onto the chassis outrigger which has bent/partially snapped the inner will body mount off the sill. So it's looking a little more serious than just some new steering bits.

The font edge of the drivers door also has a definite dent in it too, where the wing has hit it. Yay...

So the next guess is how much they'll offer me for the write off - I don't see them offering anything else now.

If they do write it off, never accept the first offer. If they don't budge, get them to do the leg work and find you an exact replacement vehicle to the one you had, they will soon backtrack and offer you what its at least worth to avoid hassle.