I shared earlier last year that we’d got a Peugeot 3008 GT Line. What I didn’t mention at the time was that this was my son’s Motability car. At the end of August, I was involved in an accident, and caused significant damage to the passenger side. Thankfully nobody was injured, and it was a straight forward process to report the accident to the insurers. Read on to find out what happens when you crash your Motability car, and the process you should follow.

What Happens When You Crash Your Motability Car?

If you’re unlucky enough to be involved in an accident in your Motability car, the first thing you need to do is make sure nobody is injured. If they are, you should call an ambulance. Additionally, if the other driver leaves the scene without handing over their insurance details, call 101 to report the incident.

I know you’re wondering what I did, so I’ll come clean… I parked in the disabled bay outside the shop and ran in quickly for milk. My son was in the car at the time. When I got back into the car, there was a vehicle parked across the carpark, meaning I couldn’t drive straight out of my bay. Upon checking my mirrors, I saw nothing but the empty bay on the passenger side, so made the call to cut across the empty bay to exit.

Unfortunately for me, there were low level bollards which were below my wing mirror’s line of sight, so I drove right into them. This caused significant damage to both my front and rear door panels and wheel trims. OOPS!

Get The Details Of Any Other Involved Parties

If any other vehicles are involved, make sure you get their details. The same goes for any witnesses, or if (like me) you damage property, make sure you get the owner’s details. Try to take photos of the damage on all of the vehicles. This may be required later on.

Is Your Vehicle Drivable?

If your car is drivable (like mine was), head home and then call RSA Motability to report the accident on 0300 037 3737.

Should your vehicle be undrivable, call the RAC on 0800 73 111 73 or 0333 202 1878 for roadside support. If you’re in the Republic of Ireland, call 1800 535 005. They are available 24/7, so hopefully you’ll be towed as soon as possible.

Contacting RSA Motability After An Accident

When you call, you’ll be asked for your customer number. Don’t panic if you don’t have this to hand. Your policy can be found with your personal details too. They’ll ask lots of questions about the accident and decide whether or not repairs need to be made.

The insurance excess on a UK Motability policy is currently £100. So if repairs are required, you have to pay that towards the cost. If your vehicle is still drivable (as mine was), you’re given the option to not have the repairs done.

It is worth remembering the £600 “Good condition bonus,” you get back at the end of your 3 year Motability car lease. If you don’t have the repairs done, chances are, you won’t get the £600.

Arranging The Repairs

After speaking to RSA Motability, they transferred me to the local repair centre. They arranged to bring me a courtesy car the following week, and drive away my damaged car for repair.

I was advised to remove any equipment I had added to our car. (This included my dash cam, Sam’s safety harness and my mobile phone charger etc). The £100 payment was taken by them over the phone. (Via my debit card).

Courtest Car

When I was booking the repairs, they asked me did I need any moderations in the vehicle. I explained the car needed to be 5 door and the back seats needed to drop so I could fit Sam’s harness, and they said that was fine. The courtesy vehicle I was issued with was a 69 plate Vauxhall Corsa. It was tiny, and fuelling it cost a fortune, but it was far better than having no car for the 5.5 weeks it took to repair our car though.

My vehicle was collected on the agreed day, and 5 and a half weeks later, it was returned to me, looking all shiny and new. I was kept updated via text on the repair status, and covid caused issues sourcing some of the required parts.

So there you have it – a full breakdown of what happens when you crash your Motability car. Fingers crossed you’ll never need this info, though.

PS I am linking this post up with day 6 of #Blogtober. The prompt is “she drives you crazy,” so I think this fits in nicely.

In the UK, it’s becoming more and more common for parked cars to be hit, and the culprit not being held accountable. So with that in mind, today I’m sharing what to do if you hit a parked car. Read on for a step by step guide – perfect for even the most nervous of drivers.

*This is a partnered post

What To Do If You Hit A Parked Car

If you’re involved in any kind of collision, rule number one is STOP! Failing to do so is a crime, so make sure you pull over. If you are being pursued or feel threatened, keep the car locked and phone the police immediately. Read on to find out what to do if you hit a parked car, specifically.

Don’t Panic

The majority of drivers will clip something at one point or another – you’re only human! I clipped a wall when reversing last year – after 13 years of driving. You’re only human, so don’t be too hard on yourself. (Assuming you weren’t distracted while driving, of course). Just over 21% of new drivers in the UK are involved in an accident in their first year of driving.

Make Notes

I know it sounds silly, but note down exactly where you are. “Fifth Avenue” won’t cut it with the police. It’s best to note which property you were outside, or approximately how far from a named junction, for example. If you happen to be abroad on holiday, it may be worth searching for a car accident attorney if you need any clarification on local laws.

Additionally, noting down the vehicle’s make, model and colour is a good idea. As is making a note of other contributing factors. These can include bad weather, swerving in an emergency or even failing brakes. Your mind can forget all kinds of things when it’s had a scare, so don’t assume you’ll remember everything.

Motorist Involved In Car Accident Taking Picture Of Damage For Insurance Claim

Take Photos

Technology is wonderful in times like this. Take photographs of the vehicle (or object) you hit, and focus on the damage caused by you. Photograph the entire vehicle though in case they try to say your bump caused more damage than it did. Taking photos of your own car’s damage will help cover you if that happens, too.

Leave Your Details

If the owner isn’t present, it can be tempting to leave the scene. Be mindful that this is illegal, and others may have your details. So honesty is the best policy, in my opinion. Leave a note on the windscreen with your name, phone number, email address and details of what happened. The Government are very clear about what you need to do.

When they get in touch, you’ll probably find they are grateful for your honesty as so many people hit and run. You can decide between yourselves whether you will pay for the damage or if it needs to be covered by your car insurance. That said, some UK insurers want to be notified of every single bump, so you may still need to inform them to keep your policy valid.

One final note: Remember to breathe. You’re only human, and accidents happen.

Many vehicle owners stick with the same car insurance provider for years and years. Firstly, this may be because they don’t realise that how simple it is to go about changing car insurance providers. Secondly, they often don’t know that there are considerable benefits to shopping around. Thirdly, there are people who don’t know how to go about changing car insurance providers without leaving gaps in coverage periods. This, of course can be a worry.

*Collaborative Post*

Changing Car Insurance Providers

These motorists can end up missing out on great deals which are provided by various companies. No insurance company holds the monopoly… So if you’re unhappy with the service that your current company is providing, you should switch at the end of your contract. However, changing car insurance providers requires you to do more than just buying a new policy for your vehicle. Here, we look at a few things that you should consider when taking out a new policy with a new company.

Photo Credit

1. Assess Your Current Car Insurance Policy

Firstly, before you take out a new policy, it’s worth taking a good look at your current car insurance policy. This will help you to understand the risks that are covered by your existing policy. It also allows you to identify the coverage and extras included, to make sure your new policy has everything that you need. Some of the things to think about: What would make your policy invalid? (Were you covered to drive 3rd party vehicles, are windscreen repairs free, is your no claims protected)?

2. Compare the different companies

Secondly, when you’re looking for a new car or van insurance policy, take some time to compare the different companies. Comparison sites such as Money Supermarket are excellent for doing this, and clearly show what each company offers for their price. Don’t just settle for the first company that gives you a deal – try phoning up others and see if you can haggle on the price a little. It is also worth checking them out on social media or review sites to see how their existing customers rate them. If they have a lot of complaints or negative reviews, it might be worth looking elsewhere.

3. Clarify what the new policy is offering

The last thing you want to do is switch companies, pay out what is usually a significant amount of money and then realise that it doesn’t offer what you need. I always make sure that my car insurance policy includes windscreen protection, covers me to drive 3rd party vehicles and that my no claims is protected. Make sure you are happy with the vinsurance excess as well – this is what you have to pay before the insurers will get involved. Read all of the terms, conditions and policy details very carefully. Then clarify anything you don’t understand, before committing yourself for the next twelve months.

4. Inform your previous insurer

Finally, once you have made the decision to change providers, it is essential that you let your previous insurer know. Many work on an automatic renewal basis. This means that unless you physically phone up or write to them to cancel, they assume you still want to be covered by them. This can end up extremely costly and difficult to resolve, as you will have technically entered into a new contract.

I hope these tips have been useful. Until next time… Happy Driving!

I passed my driving test way back in 2004, when I was 20. Since then, I have had quite a few cars – some loved more than others. On New Year’s Eve, we picked up our new family car – A Peugeot 3008 GT Line. This is my first ever Red car, and I am a little giddy about the colour! Our son has disabilities, and has finally been awarded Motability, so we set about trying to find the perfect car for him (and us) as a family)…

Why The Peugeot 3008?

We’ve been shopping around for our new car for what feels like forever. We needed a car with a large enough boot to fit the dogs in. (We’ve got 2 boxers). I wanted an SUV this time, as it was becoming painful bending down to strap the kids in – especially our son, who needs a harness in the car.

Initially, I was favouring the Ford Grand C-Max as the rear sliding doors were a huge plus for us. (We have a designated parking space at home, so it’s a nightmare getting the kids in and out sometimes). However, when we went to view one, we found it really basic and didn’t feel the quality was there to justify the on the road price.

We stumbled across the Peugeot 3008 GT Line when we went to view the Peugeot 5008. I was already sure the 5008 was too big (and expensive) for our family’s needs, but I hadn’t been aware of the Peugeot 3008 before. As soon as we saw her parked up in the showroom, I knew this was the car for us!

Why Choose The Peugeot 3008 GT Line

We found the staff in the dealership we went to (Robins & Day, Manchester) super helpful, and very knowledgeable. Once hubby test drove it, there was no doubt this was the car for us!

Initially, we were going to go for the Allure model, but when we did the maths, we realised it made sense to go for the GT Line. I knew I’d want to add the charging plate, and the black interior and rear tinted windows would make travelling in the car much calmer for the kids too. (Our son has Autism, and struggles in the car when it’s really bright).

The other factor was that if we chose the red model (which we all loved), we could take it that week. If we ordered in an Allure, it would likely be April before it arrived. That would have meant putting our old car through another MOT and service.

Ticking The Boxes

As you can see, it definitely ticks the boot space box! (The base drops down 4 inches too, which allows even more space – great if you’ve got dogs, like us).

We don’t need to worry about prams any more, but our old double buggy would have fitted in here easily, too.

Funky Gadgets

Hubby is a big fan of gadgets. The Peugeot 3008 GT Line definitely delivers on that front! It’s got built in sat nav, a smartphone charging plate, rear parking camera, car play, and loads more too. I especially love that I can turn the speakers in the front off while leaving the kids music playing in the back.

The rear parking camera is a total win too. It makes parking such a huge beast of a car a breeze in supermarkets, multi storey car parks and our designated parking space at home.

Style of the Peugeot 3008 GT Line

The interior of the Peugeot 3008 GT Line feels like a cockpit. The paddle style buttons are similar to those within an aircraft, and it feels very futuristic. There are 2 displays. The main one, which sits in the middle of the dashboard. This stouchscreen display is where you control your usual in-car features from. You also see your sat nav and rear camera here, and you make and receive calls from this screen, too.

The second screen is the driver’s panel. This can show your sat nav, or your usual driving controls. It’s all digital and really intuitive. The Exterior is beautiful too, of course…!

How Does The Peugeot 3008 GT Line Drive?

I was really worried about driving our new car for the first time. Mainly because it’s Diesel and I have only driven cars petrol before. The first time I took it out, I went to a local park’s car park (which is always empty on weekdays). Once there, I practiced setting off, reversing, parking, clutch control and heat changes. After 5 minutes, I realised my fears were completely silly.

The Peugeot 3008 GT Line is by far the best manual car I have ever driven. It’s smooth, feels safe and the in built safety features are also a huge comfort for this anxious mum. (It has lots of those – including a blind spot alert, which flashes if someone is over or undertaking you. There’s an auto emergency stop, in case someone pulls out on you too). When you’re on the motorway, the car monitors your lane positioning and alerts you if you start veering to one side.

All told, I am extremely happy so far.  Granted, I have only driven 300 miles in her, so far. I will be sure to write another post in a few months time to update on the long term use.

Finally. If you’ve enjoyed this post, why not check out my other lifestyle blog posts.