§ 2.37 p.m.
§ LORD SORENSENMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in order to relieve the pressure on police authorities, the existing regulations in respect of the reporting of motor accidents could be revised so as to make it unnecessary to report cases of trivial damage, where the car drivers and the owners of other vehicles or property affected agree either to take no further action or to accept compensation.]
74§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, R.A.F. (LORD WINTERBOTTOM)My Lords, if an accident does riot involve personal injury there is no obligation to report it, provided that the driver stops and gives his name and address, and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle, and its registration number, to any person with reasonable grounds for requiring them. Even if the accident involves personal injury, the driver is not required to report it if he produces his certificate of insurance at the same time as he supplies the other particulars.
§ LORD SORENSENMy Lords, I did not quite hear my noble friend. Am I to understand that a driver must supply his name and address to the police, or to someone else? Before my noble friend answers, may I also ask him whether this fact is generally known by motorists, because I do not think it is? Possibly a minority of motorists report accidents involving trivial damage, when they need not do so. But many others do not do so, thus avoiding wasting a great deal of the time of the police.
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, an accident which does not involve personal injury does not have to be reported if the individual involved in the accident gives his name and the registration number of his vehicle to any person who has reasonable grounds for requiring that information. If the accident involves personal injury, the driver does not have to report it if he produces his certificate of insurance at the same time as he gives the other particulars. My noble friend has informed me that the position is not generally known, but it is clearly set out in the Highway Code, and if people do not read their Highway Code they will not know what are and what are not their duties.