NSW Traffic Law - Car Accident Caused by Dog - How to Find Owners?

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EdithJ

Member
17 January 2016
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I was driving down a 70km/h major 4 lane road when a large dog bolted across the far 3 lanes, colliding with my car. There was nothing I could do to prevent hitting the dog as the traffic was very busy. I have pulled over as soon as I could and inspected the damage to my car (the front bumper bar needs replacing). However, when I've walked up the road, there is no sign of the dog or the owners.

After sitting in my car for twenty minutes, a woman approached who said she was a witness to the car accident (along with many other people at her workplace), and that she helped the dog owner get the dog in her car (it was uninjured), to take to the vet. Another employee of the workplace apparently went to the owner's house to also help. As I saw none of this, I asked for whatever details she could provide regarding the owner, which was very little aside from they live 'across the road' from this workplace and that the owner had a small red car.

I am very desperate to get the owner's information, as I cannot afford the $1200 excess fee the car insurance company will make me pay if I cannot provide the owner's details. Have given all this information to the police. I was just wondering if there were any other legal avenues under Traffic Law I could pursue.
 
S

Sophea

Guest
I would have thought you would have been liable for your excess regardless, and there are no guarantees that the owners will be considered liable for causing the accident in any event.