Nope, there have been numerous incidents of cars running into stationary lorries and the lorry driver not being aware. Even a vehicle with a lesser weight difference such as a van, the driver can be unaware of a collision depending on the direction of impact etc.
I used to own a Bedford CF. The police alleged that I had changed lanes and sideswiped the front of a car. I knew nothing about this until a letter arrived from the police.
northern drivers....the worst 5273It happens that Conor formulated : I'm a high yearly mileage driver with many years experience of driving and riding a variety of vehicles. Whilst I am...
(I'll continue in the certain knwoledge that someone will ask)
I simply responded by asking for further information as I had no knowledge. Nothing happened until I had a visit from a copper who looked at my vehicle and found a small speck of paint that he said was the same colour as the car I was supposed to have hit.
northern drivers....the worst 5272Could be fun though. Signals only work where both the sender and the recipient know what the signal means. Unless the sender happens to...
Naturally Mr Plod invited me to have a chat with the magistrates. I wasn't charged with "Lack of Due Care and Attention" or similar but only with "Failing to stop at the scene of an accident" and "Failing to report an accident". It caused some confusion when I refused to enter a plea, on the grounds that I wasn't going to enter a plea on something I knew nothing about.
(For anyone else in such a situation there is a defence of "Mens rea". In Harding v Price (1948)Held- 'mens rea' is an essential ingredient of the offence of failing to stop, so that there must be evidence that the driver was aware of the accident or the injury or had wilfully or negligently shut
The magistrates took the view of most people who fail to think for a few minutes and take competent advice, so found me guilty.
When I appealed the police didn't bother to contest it and my appeal was allowed.
