RTA & contacting the Garda

Random

If you're in a RTA and there is no injurys or immediate risk to human life and you wish to contact the Garda are you supposed to dial 112 or 11811 and ask for the number of the nearest Garda station?

Is it a waste of police time to call 112 to get Garda to come to the scene?

wazzoraybelle

yup, dial 112 they'll put you on to the nearest garda station.

mikemac

112 is an emergency number, no different to 999

European Emergency Phone Number 112

What is 112?
112 is the single European emergency phone number. Call 112
To contact any emergency service
In any EU country (except certain regions in Bulgaria)
From fixed phones, including payphones, or mobile phones
Free of charge

Dial 112 in any emergency requiring an ambulance, the fire brigade or the police. Examples
You have been involved in or have witnessed a serious road accident
You notice a building on fire.
You spot a house being broken into.

If you need an ambulance use it. If you want a garda to check a minor accident, then 11811 or 111850 will get you the nearest station

Random

Sorry .. I should have clarified .. I'm aware 112 and 999 are the same service. So I guess I should phrase my question as

Is it a waste of police time to call 999/112 to get Garda to come to the scene?

johnnyrotten

If there are no injuries then its a civil matter between 2 parties and the Gardai do not have to or need to attend

kwalshe

This car jumped out in front of me last week but the other party insisted on calling the Guards. I made of point of asking the nice garda at the scene and he told me if no injuries or hassles no need to call but if soembody ask for the guards , they have to be called. He says if you up an leave if the other party asks for the guards you are leaving the scene of an RTA..

John R

Random wrote: »

Sorry .. I should have clarified .. I'm aware 112 and 999 are the same service. So I guess I should phrase my question as

Is it a waste of police time to call 999/112 to get Garda to come to the scene?

YES. It is a waste of police time and resources to answer the call and to have to attend a minor RTA just because some arrogant fool insists on a person in uniform having a look at the ding on their paintwork before they will move their car from the middle of a major road.

IMO it should be a criminal offence to phone 999/112 for non emergencies with an immediate fine issued. Talk to the people who take these calls; the amount of non emergency calls they have to deal with is astounding and can have an effect on the response time for real emergencies.

Random

Why aren't people giving out to insurance companys then for plastering "call the Garda" all over their policy booklets?

maidhc

John R wrote: »

YES. It is a waste of police time and resources to answer the call and to have to attend a minor RTA just because some arrogant fool insists on a person in uniform having a look at the ding on their paintwork before they will move their car from the middle of a major road.

It can be useful to have a garda witness if the other party disputes liability. But in the era of camera phones a few photos should do in most circumstances.

John R wrote: »

IMO it should be a criminal offence to phone 999/112 for non emergencies with an immediate fine issued. Talk to the people who take these calls; the amount of non emergency calls they have to deal with is astounding and can have an effect on the response time for real emergencies.

I don't agree. 112/999 is the number for the "emergency services". If there is a shortage of operators in a call centre, then that problem should be remedied.

PeakOutput

maidhc wrote: »

It can be useful to have a garda witness if the other party disputes liability. But in the era of camera phones a few photos should do in most circumstances.

gardai wont comment on liability unless they saw the accident. insurance companies may off the record listen but their opinion on who is at fault has no binding affect on anything. its between the insurance companies and a court if it gets that far


in the absence of injuries the only reason to call the gardai is if the other party wont give you their insurance details which they are obliged to do by law. i know in the country that the gardai will just tell you straight out when you ring that they arent going to go to the scene and its a civil matter. in the cities they tend to make their way there more often even if it can take ages.


i would get people telling me all the time that the garda said they werent at fault and that i just need to ring them and ask and when i did almost without fail the garda would refuse to comment on liability because they know they have no standing

Del2005

I had a similar idea a few days ago and asked on the Emergengy Services fourm. The replies from Gardai was to just call directory inquiries and ask for the nearest Garda station, if that's the wrong one then the Gardai will transfer you to the correct station.


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055463479

timmywex

If their are no independant witnesses, you should call the gards, the other party could start making stuff up after the incident

maidhc

PeakOutput wrote: »

gardai wont comment on liability unless they saw the accident. insurance companies may off the record listen but their opinion on who is at fault has no binding affect on anything. its between the insurance companies and a court if it gets that far

It is very persuasive, and gardai will and do comment in liability. It isn't binding but if it goes to court you can nearly always wear a smug smile because the insurers will settle.

PeakOutput wrote: »

in the absence of injuries the only reason to call the gardai is if the other party wont give you their insurance details which they are obliged to do by law. i know in the country that the gardai will just tell you straight out when you ring that they arent going to go to the scene and its a civil matter. in the cities they tend to make their way there more often even if it can take ages.

Do you realise how many small shunts seem to end up before the PIAB? The gardai have to call if they are told to. Certainly in the UK there is an obligation to answer all 999 calls expediently.

PeakOutput wrote: »

i would get people telling me all the time that the garda said they werent at fault and that i just need to ring them and ask and when i did almost without fail the garda would refuse to comment on liability because they know they have no standing

And I have often had gardai more than willing to be subpoenaed. Some say it was 50/50, some tell you take a hike. They generally tell it as they see it.

Personally, I wouldn't call the gardai unless i thought they may be useful down the line, but that ins't always apparent.

AugustusMaximus

If I was involved in a crash where I thought the other party was wrong and I though there was a fair bit of damage to my car, I would have no problem in ringing the nearest Garda station.

The Garda would be about as good a witness as there is. You're paying their wages so if you think it could go to court or especially if the other party is denying liability then get the Garda. Hell, the other person could accept liability on the spot and then deny it afterwards. You need a reliable witness at the scene.

Seth Brundle

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

If I was involved in a crash where I thought the other party was wrong and I though there was a fair bit of damage to my car, I would have no problem in ringing the nearest Garda station.

You could be waiting a long time for them to come!

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

The Garda would be about as good a witness as there is. You're paying their wages so if you think it could go to court or especially if the other party is denying liability then get the Garda. Hell, the other person could accept liability on the spot and then deny it afterwards. You need a reliable witness at the scene.

A garda may not necessarily be a good witness. They will be able to state that two cars were stopped but they may not want to state who they believe to be responsible.
As for 'paying their wages' don't forget to remind them of this - they love hearing it!

Del2005

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

If I was involved in a crash where I thought the other party was wrong and I though there was a fair bit of damage to my car, I would have no problem in ringing the nearest Garda station.

We where waiting over 2 hours for the Gardai to respond to a crash and run, where no one was injured. Person had been collected and gone to the local cop shop before they turned up.

PeakOutput

maidhc wrote: »

It is very persuasive, and gardai will and do comment in liability. It isn't binding but if it goes to court you can nearly always wear a smug smile because the insurers will settle.

if the garda didnt see the accident he is no more use than anyone else who turns up at the scene afterwards

Do you realise how many small shunts seem to end up before the PIAB? The gardai have to call if they are told to. Certainly in the UK there is an obligation to answer all 999 calls expediently.

there sure might be a rule saying they have to show up, the fact of the matter as i said is that in the country they dont have the time and are very honest about it. and piab isnt binding if the damage is judged as too minor to cause an injury the insurance companies wont pay it (in most situations)

And I have often had gardai more than willing to be subpoenaed. Some say it was 50/50, some tell you take a hike. They generally tell it as they see it.

but they havnt seen it thats the point, they are no more use than having a photograph of the cars positions after the accident and sending an investigator out to the scene

one thing that is very usefull is when a third party accepts fault to the garda and then changes their mind when the insurance company calls. the garda will tell you that they accepted fault at the scene but again it could be argued that an independant witness hearing this is just the same