Car Accident

Just as I thought things might start to get back to normal I am involved in a car accident. I was on my way home from work on Thursday when, while waiting to pull onto a roundabout, a car crashed into the back of me.

My head involuntarily gets jiggled backwards and forwards and the sun roof cover slides open.

I pulled over onto the side of the road and the person who crashed into me followed. I got out of the car to have a look at the damage. There was nothing visible apart from a small scratch on the rear bumper. The silver coloured Ford Mondeo that had crashed into me was untouched.

The driver got out of his car and came over to exchange details. He was Canadian, on holiday in the UK for a couple of weeks and had hired a car at the airport. We swapped our particulars and, because I couldn’t see any damage, continued our journeys.

I stopped at a service station a mile or so down the road where it was easier to have a good look at the car. Again there didn’t appear to be any damage, although the boot looked a little funny. I opened the boot and noticed that the metal behind the bumper had been pushed inwards. I tried to close the boot but the catch wouldn’t even go into the lock.

I ended up having to use rope to lash the boot down. I then drove very carefully along the motorway towards home.

When I got home I spent an hour on the phone to my insurance company. The phone call alone is likely to cost quite a bit as it was a 0870 number.

They arranged for me to take my car to an accident repair centre and to provide me with a hire car while mine was off the road. The insurance company sounded pretty happy that it was completely the third parties fault.

I took my car to the accident repair centre on Saturday. They had a quick look around the vehicle before saying “probably going to be a write-off”. I won’t know for sure until my insurance company contact me later this week. I am not expecting to get much money for it. It sounds like £100 will be a good offer.

Looks like I am going to be going car shopping at the weekend.