LETTERS: Recently, a delivery rider refused to accept an apology from a car driver after a collision and notified his peers through a messaging application.
The bikers took the law into their own hands, chased down the car, pulled out the driver, and beat him up. He was found dead in the middle of the road.
In minor collisions, parties at fault may offer to settle privately instead of making a police report and being subject to a compound fine of RM300.
Hence, the usual amount of compensation offered is no more than a few hundred ringgit, and it is up to the other party to accept or reject.
If the compensation demanded is high, the party at fault will opt to make a police report so that the other party can claim from his insurance company without losing the no-claim discount under "own damage knock-for-knock", or make a third-party claim, which can be arduous.
Although reports may be made within 24 hours, there could be several follow-up trips to submit documents, meet the investigating officer, and pick up a copy of the police report.
If people are injured, a police report is a must, and the insurance company is duly notified. Otherwise, the driver may have to pay huge compensation from his pocket or can even be declared bankrupt if unable to do so.
As a motorist, you need to have a cool head after a collision with a pedestrian, motorcyclist or pillion rider. Even if you are not at fault, it would be foolish to keep telling passers-by what happened.
All it takes is just one person to disagree and start assaulting you and all hell will break loose. Many people have suffered severe injuries and even died from beatings by frenzied mobs, and most were just bystanders or passers-by who did not witness the collision.
Therefore, it is better not to linger at the accident scene just to maintain that you were not in the wrong. For grievous injuries and while waiting for the ambulance to arrive, you should drive to the nearest police station to seek refuge and make an initial report.
This will prove that you were not trying to flee or evade responsibility for the collision. More importantly, it is to ensure your personal safety.
YS CHAN
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
