A former police detective has claimed that saying one common word after a car crash could massively backfire and land drivers in a lot of trouble. Speaking on BBC’s Morning Live, Rebecca Mason said apologising and saying sorry after a shunt could be seen as an “admission of guilt”.
In the heat of the moment, motorists may apologise even if they are not aware of the full facts around the collision. Despite this, car insurance firms can take an apology as a sign that one party is more at fault than the other, possibly landing the blame squarely at one person’s feet rather than the other. The former police detective urged individuals to instead fit dash cams inside their vehicle to record the moments leading up to the crash.
Speaking to the BBC, she said: “We always say about apologising at the scene. It’s automatic, I think as humans and certainly here. We always apologise, even when things are maybe not out fault.
“But some insurance companies can take that as an admission of guilt and you may not be in the wrong. Sometimes you just don’t know.
“Dashcam footage can be really important. I’ve now got a dash cam. And your local CCTV, when your taking photos of the scene, if you can see any CCTV or if witnesses have any dash cam. It’s so important just to piece together what has happened.”
Rebecca issued the warning after the ex-detective was involved in a head-on shunt herself. Rebecca said an elderly lady in the other vehicle suffered a medical episode while driving and swerved straight into the opposite lane.
Stunningly, Rebecca suffered only cuts and bruises in the crash, with witnesses able to help her piece together information.
Rebecca urged motorists to always exchange contact details with the other drivers involved and make as many notes as possible.
But most importantly, she explained motorists should never drive away from an accident, however minor.
Rebecca added: “The first thing to do is stop. It’s actually an offence if you make off from the scene of an accident, Take a minute and check yourself for injuries. Are you okay, are your passengers okay? If you can, turn your engine off.”