UK Accident Involving a Foreign Driver or Vehicle

If you're unlucky enough to be involved in an accident that isn't your fault, most people will want to claim for compensation. This can be either personal injury compensation or compensation for your vehicle that has been damaged in the collision.

With so many foreign visitors coming to the UK each year on holiday, there's a good chance that if you do have a crash, it will be with a foreign driver who isn't a permanent resident of the UK.

A recent report suggested that the different attitudes to driving, road conditions and speed limits between all the European countries can be extremely confusing to drivers from abroad in the UK. It's estimated that around 18,000 traffic accidents a year occur due to drivers from other countries and this is especially true of heavy goods vehicles.

If you find yourself involved in a road traffic accident with a foreign driver, don't panic. Drivers from abroad who are involved in a UK road accident are governed by the same obligations as if they were a driver from the UK.

Traffic Accidents in the UK with Drivers from Abroad

When you're involved in an crash in the UK with someone from abroad, do not act any differently than how you would with a UK citizen. All drivers should have insurance of some type. Whether that insurance has come from a rental car agency, or is their own home car insurance, they should be covered to drive the car they're driving, or they shouldn't be doing it.

The correct procedure should be to obtain as many details as possible - name, address, contact number, registration plate and anything else you feel is important. If the driver is struggling to understand English, simply get them to write down their details and make sure you have their registration number. You may need this in the future for a compensation claim. Also, if there are witnesses around, get as much information from them as you can.

Always keep a note of the time of the accident and if you have a camera or camera phone, photograph the scene so you can show this to your solicitor if you need one.

Compensation Claims and Foreign Drivers in the UK

It can often be difficult to get compensation from a foreign driver as their insurance procedures may be different or they may simply be uninsured. If this is your experience, you can contact the Motor Insurers Bureau for help. They may be able to provide you with details of the driver and their insurance company, as long as you have the correct registration plate.

Remember that in some countries, some of the larger trucks and lorries have a different registration plate on the main cabin than on the trailer - try and obtain both if possible. The Motor Insurers Bureau are also able to help if the driver who was involved in the collision with you doesn't have insurance or the insurance company they do have doesn't have a UK counterpart. In these cases, the MIB will normally control the case and follow it up for you. Their details are below and you should contact them with any further queries.