Who do I contact after a motorcycle accident?
After a motorcycle accident, contact emergency services first if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked. Then exchange details with the other driver, notify your own insurer, note any witnesses, and see your GP or hospital. Once you are safe, a regulated specialist can advise on a claim. This is general information, not legal advice.
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Contents
- When should you call emergency services?
- Do you need to report the accident to the police?
- What details should you exchange with the other driver?
- Should you tell your own insurer even if it was not your fault?
- Why do witnesses matter?
- When should you see your GP or hospital?
- Who can advise you about a claim?
- What if the driver was untraced or drove off?
When should you call emergency services?
Call 999 straight away if anyone is injured, if the road is blocked, or if there is any danger to other road users. Your safety and everyone else's comes first, so move to a safe place if you can and wait for help.
Even where injuries seem minor at the scene, adrenaline can mask pain, so do not rush to say you are fine. If you can safely take a note of what happened while it is fresh, that can help later.
Do you need to report the accident to the police?
The police may attend at the scene, but if they do not, you may still need to report the accident yourself. In general, if you do not exchange details at the scene, you must report it to the police within the required time limit, so it is safest to report promptly.
Ask for a police reference or incident number if one is given. That reference can be useful later for your insurer and for any claim. If you are unsure whether an accident needs reporting, it is usually better to report it than not.
What details should you exchange with the other driver?
Try to get the other driver's full name, their address, their vehicle registration, and their insurance details. If more than one vehicle is involved, gather the same information for each.
Photographs can help fill any gaps, such as the number plate, the position of the vehicles, and any damage. If the other driver refuses to give details or drives off, note as much as you can, including the registration and a description, and report it to the police.
Should you tell your own insurer even if it was not your fault?
Yes, in most cases you must notify your own insurer about the accident, even when you were not at fault. Your policy usually requires you to tell them within a set time, and failing to do so can cause problems later.
Notifying your insurer is not the same as making a claim through them. You are simply letting them know what happened. You can still choose how to pursue a non-fault claim, and a regulated specialist can explain the options before you commit to anything.
Why do witnesses matter?
Independent witnesses can be very helpful, especially if the other driver later disputes what happened. If anyone saw the accident, politely ask for their name and a contact number.
A witness account can support your version of events and help establish who was at fault. Even a short note of what they saw, taken at the scene, can be valuable if the facts are later questioned.
When should you see your GP or hospital?
Get medical attention as soon as you can, even if you feel able to carry on. Some injuries, including to the head, neck and back, may not be obvious straight away, so a proper check is sensible.
Seeing your GP or hospital also creates a medical record of your injuries and when they started. That record can be important both for your health and for any future claim, as it links your injuries to the accident.
Who can advise you about a claim?
Once you are safe and have had any injuries checked, a regulated specialist can advise on whether you may have a claim and how it would work. Bike Crash Claims introduces riders who had a non-fault accident to regulated specialist solicitors and motorcycle accident specialists.
We are an introducer, not solicitors, and we do not give legal advice or handle the claim ourselves. The specialist you speak to can review your circumstances and explain your options. Whether a claim is possible and how it might proceed always depends on your individual case.
What if the driver was untraced or drove off?
If you were hit by a driver who cannot be traced, or by someone with no insurance, there may still be a route to claim through a recognised scheme for exactly these situations. So a hit and run does not automatically mean you are left with nothing.
Reporting the incident to the police and keeping any evidence you have becomes even more important in these cases. A regulated specialist can explain whether this route may apply to you and what would be involved.
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This guide is general information about motorcycle accident claims in the UK. It is not legal or financial advice. Bike Crash Claims is an introducer: we connect riders with regulated specialist solicitors and motorcycle accident specialists, and we are not solicitors ourselves. Whether you can claim, and what any claim may be worth, always depends on your individual circumstances, and nothing here is a guarantee of any outcome or amount. For advice on your own situation, please speak to a regulated specialist.
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