Road crashes
Being involved in any form of crash on the road can be a scary and traumatic experience for all those involved. For more serious or fatal collisions, the impact can be devastating for both the victim and their family
Minor crashes
If you have been involved in a crash where there has only been damage to a vehicle or minor injuries, you may – understandably – want to contact the police. It could be your first incident and you might not know where else to turn.
However, if no one has been seriously hurt, you can just exchange details with the other person involved and let your insurance companies do the rest.
If you do make the report to the police, the Road Traffic Collision Investigation Unit will get in touch with you to give you information and advice.
If you have been injured, or you think that someone has broken the law, you will be sent a form to complete, which will help the police road traffic unit to make an investigation.
No insurance?
If you have been in a collision with another driver who doesn’t have insurance, you can get help from the Motor Insurance Bureau.
Serious or fatal crashes
If you or someone you care about has been involved in a serious crash, the effects can be devastating. You may be dealing with bereavement, grief and loss, or coming to terms with life-changing injuries.
If you have lost a family member, police family liaison officers will have already been in touch with you. These specially trained officers will help you through this time of grief, and support you while the investigation is carried out.
It can sometimes help the grieving or recovery process to get involved with self-help groups, meetings others who have been through similar experiences, or to fund-raise for road safety charities.
Experiencing the death of someone close to you is extremely traumatic. It’s important that you look after yourself during this difficult time and find support to help you cope and recover from what has happened.
Find help and support
Brake
Brake is a UK-wide provider of support services to people bereaved and seriously injured in road crashes. If the road death happened abroad, Brake can provide support to friends and family living in the UK.
Brake’s helpline is also available for anyone who cares for people bereaved or injured in a road crash. This includes, for example, police family liaison officers, emergency service workers, counsellors, and teachers. They can help you to provide the best possible help to road crash victims, and also support you if you were involved in the immediate aftermath of a fatal or serious crash and feel traumatised as a result.
- Support from Brake
- Helpline: 0808 8000401
Contacting the police
GMP Road Traffic Collision Investigation Unit
0161 856 4000 | collision.investigation@gmp.police.uk.
GMP Serious Collision Investigation Unit
0161 856 4741
Citizens Advice
Brake
Brake is a road safety charity that exists to stop the needless deaths and serious injuries that happen on roads every day, make streets and communities safer for everyone, and care for families bereaved and injured in road crashes.
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