VIC Uninsured Car Accident - What to Do?

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Ultax

Member
15 November 2017
1
0
1
Hey there,

I am currently traveling through Australia with my van.

A few weeks ago, I caused an accident as I wanted to turn right on the outer lane of a 2 lane roundabout. Clearly I was at fault. I and the other driver R. decided to call the police, an officer came told us that it's my fault and we should arrange things privately as it is cheaper and otherwise if he writes a protocol, he would have to send me ticket for misbehaving in traffic.

So the officer left and I was discussing with R. how we are going to handle the situation. 15mins later he decided to call the police once again because he needed that protocol for his insurance as he had quite some claims in the past. But before the second officer arrived a towing truck came by and told be to enter the truck while he started towing my van. So I left the scene, not having spoken to the second officer.

The first officer only has seen my licence plate number and did not make any notices. The towing truck was so fast that I could even change information with R. I only have got a photo of his drivers licence and his license plate number, he only has my license plate number and a picture of my German driver license.

Now I am wondering if I will receive any fines because I've never spoken to a officer that took notes. Did the second officer believe the story R. has told them and therefore are they sending out a fine to me, or won't they do anything because of missing evidence (didn't see my car, didn't see the accident, only have the story of R.). And if they send one, how long does it usually take to arrive and is it send to the residental address I submitted to VicRoads or to the postal address as they are different...?

Also I am wondering if R.'s insurance is able to get my contact details (using my license plate number) from the police (which maybe got them from VicRoads), because the other driver hasn't got any contact details from me so I don't know how they will contact me...

Additionally, if they somehow send a fine and/or insurance paper to my residential address I submitted to VicRoads there is no chance for me to get these letters as I am not returning to Melbourne (currently in Sydney, traveling uo East Coast).

In addition, if I leave the country now, how will the insurance contact me?

During the period of the incident happening I was uninsured, that's why I am asking and I'm so afraid.

What are the next steps? What will happen next?

Sorry for describing so unprecisely!

Thanks to everyone that answers!

Cheers
 

Clancy

Well-Known Member
6 April 2016
973
69
2,289
You are not required by law to have police attend an accident where both cars are still derivable. What their insurance company says don't matter. The second police officer will obviously not issue any fines without having interviewed you or seen your vehicle..... Depending on how wildly the other driver told stories, the police may decide to look you up for an interview, but i highly doubt it. Police don't have much interest or time for serving the public when there are plenty of petty fines to be given out left and right to every day mums and dad motorists of Australia.

If the authorities do send a traffic fine in the mail, it is considered to have been served. Regardless if the authority actually physically posted it, regardless if the post man wiped his ass with the letter and flushed it down the toilet, regardless if someone stole your mail, regardless weather or not the letter actually reached your mail box, regardless if you were there to read it, Nope, it is magically considered to have 'been served' because they are big, you are little, they are right, you are wrong, and there is nothing you can do about it.