Road Traffic Act 1960

Accidents

77 Duty to stop, and furnish particulars, in case of accident

(1) If in any case, owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on a road, an accident occurs whereby personal injury is caused to a person other than the driver of that motor vehicle or damage is caused to a vehicle other than that motor vehicle or a trailer drawn thereby or to an animal other than an animal in or on that motor vehicle or a trailer drawn thereby, the driver of the motor vehicle shall stop and. if required so to do by any person having reasonable grounds for so requiring, give his name and address, and also the name and address of the owner and the identification marks of the vehicle.

(2) If in the case of any such accident as aforesaid the driver of the motor vehicle for any reason does not give his name and address to any such person as aforesaid, he shall report the accident at a police station or to a police constable as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within twenty-four hours of the occurrence thereof.

(3) In this section "animal" means any horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog.

(4) A person who fails to comply with this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds, or in the case of a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

78 General provisions as to accident inquiries

(1) Where an accident arises out of the presence of a motor vehicle on a road, the appropriate Minister may direct inquiry to be made into the cause of the accident.

(2) Where any such accident has occurred, a person authorised by the appropriate Minister in that behalf may, on production if so required of his authority, inspect any vehicle in connection with which the accident arose, and for that purpose may enter at any reasonable time any premises where the vehicle is; and if a person obstructs a person so authorised in the performance of his duty under this subsection, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds, or in the case of a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

(3) If in any case the appropriate Minister considers that an inquiry to be made by him under this section should be made by means of the holding of a public inquiry, he may direct a public inquiry to be held.

(4) A report made by or to the appropriate Minister as the result of an inquiry under this section shall not be used in evidence by or on behalf of a person by or against whom any legal proceedings are instituted in consequence of the accident to which the inquiry relates.

79 Special provisions as to accident inquiries in London Traffic Area

(1) Where, owing to the presence of a vehicle on a road, an accident occurs within the London Traffic Area and it appears to the Minister that the sole or a contributory cause of the accident was—

(a) the nature or character of the road or of the road surface, or

(b) a defect in the design or construction of the vehicle or in the materials used in the construction of the road or vehicle,

he may, if he thinks fit, cause an inquiry to be held into the cause of the accident.

(2) In this section " road " includes a highway and a bridge carrying a highway and any lane, mews, footway, square, court, alley or passage whether a thoroughfare or not.

80 Inquests on road deaths in London Traffic Area

(1) Where an accident occurs within the London Traffic Area resulting in the death of a person, and it is alleged that the accident was due to—

(a) the nature or character of a road or road surface; or

(b) a defect in the design or construction of a vehicle or in the materials used in the construction of a road or vehicle;

the coroner holding inquiry into the cause of death shall send to the Minister, or to such officer of the Ministry of Transport as the Minister may direct, notice in writing of the time and place of holding the inquest, and of the adjourned inquest; and an officer appointed by the Minister for the purpose shall be at liberty at any such inquest to examine any witness, subject nevertheless to the power of the coroner to disallow any question which in his opinion is not relevant or is otherwise not a proper question.

(2) In this section " road " has the same meaning as in the last foregoing section.