Motor vehicle collisions

If you are involved in a motor collision, the law requires you to do certain things. This applies whether the collision was with another motor vehicle, another user of the road or an object along the road. There are also things it is advisable to do for safety reasons and to help reduce your possible financial loss.

If you are involved in a motor collision, your legal obligations are set out in Section 106 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 (as amended).

Stay at the scene: You must stop your car and remain at the location of the accident for a reasonable time.

Provide information: If a Garda is present at the scene of the collision, you must give them, when requested:

• Your name and address
• The address where your car is kept
• The name and address of the car owner
• The cars registration number
• Motor insurance details (including the expiry date of the policy)

If there is no Garda present, you must give this information on request to:

• The injured person (where someone has been hurt) – or a person asking on their behalf
• The owner whose property has been damaged or someone asking on their behalf

If none of these people are present, give the information to an independent person who was present when the collision occurred.

Report the accident: If there is no Garda present, you must report the accident as soon as possible to a Garda nearby or at a Garda station. The person (if any) you gave the information can do this. If they cannot do so, you must report the accident.

Decide whether to move the cars: If the collision is serious, do not move the cars. If the collision is minor and the cars are blocking the road or are a danger to other road users, mark their position on the road and then move them. Take care when moving damaged cars and be alert to the danger of leaking fuel.

Warn other drivers:

• Try to warn oncoming traffic of the accident. You can warn them by using your hazard lights.
• If you have a reflective advance-warning triangle, place it on the road far enough from the scene of the collision to give enough warning to approaching traffic.
• If the collision happens near a bend in the road, make sure you give warning to traffic on both sides of the bend.

If you need another road user’s help to warn traffic, do so immediately.

Call for help: If someone is injured, call the Gardaí (telephone 999 or 112) and, if necessary, ambulance services.

Get information: You should get the information listed above (under ‘Provide information’) from the other drivers involved in the collision. If the collision involves property damage, get the owner’s name, address and telephone number.

Get the witnesses names, addresses and telephone numbers, as these may be needed if a question of liability arises.

Photos: Take photos of the scene of the collision if you have a camera. These should include photos of the vehicles before they are moved.

Garda details: You should get the name or number of the Garda to whom the collision is reported. You may need to ensure that a Garda report has been filed for insurance purposes.

Write down what happened: You should write down an account of all relevant facts connected to the collision as soon as possible afterwards. Sign and date your account (including the time) when it is completed.

Uninsured or unidentified cars: If you want to claim compensation where you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or unidentified car, contact the Motor Insurer's Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). MIBI also deals with claims from foreign drivers in Ireland or Irish drivers abroad.

More information: For more advice on what to do at the scene of an accident, see the Rules of the Road (pdf).

Serious road traffic collisions

When a serious road traffic collision occurs, causing a serious or fatal injury, there will be an investigation by the Gardaí and possibly the coroner. It may involve an inquest and even a criminal prosecution.

PARC Road Safety Group has published Finding Your Way (pdf). It is a guide for victims where the driver suspected of having caused a fatal or serious injury collision has survived and may face criminal prosecution.