Daily Telegraph publishes apology for story on car crash details

On January 31st the Daily Telegraph published a story on its front page entitled 'Police paid millions for details of car crashes'. The story alleged that the personal details of those who had been in a road traffic collision were being passed on by police forces and 'may have led to thousands of people being pursued by cash for crash companies looking to profit out of personal injury claims, vehicle repairs and providing a replacement car.'

The suggestion that police forces sell details of people involved in road traffic collisions with a view to making a profit is entirely false. ACPO brought this matter to the Press Complaints Commission. The Daily Telegraph today published the following apology:

Car crash details
Following our page 1 report "Police paid millions for details of car crashes” on Jan 31, the Association of Chief Police Officers has asked us to make clear that the supply of details to third parties - for which an administration fee to recover costs only is charged - occurs solely where the information is requested by appointed insurers, solicitors or other representatives acting on behalf of an individual involved in a collision. Legislation which, from April, made ‘referral fees’ illegal will not impact on police forces because they do not sell contact details of collision victims to claims management companies. We accept that any suggestion that police forces are paid by claims management companies for such details is untrue and apologise for any contrary impression given by the article.

ACPO lead for roads policing, Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, said:

"This national news story has been damaging to the integrity of the police and painted an inaccurate picture of what occurs following a road traffic collision. I am very pleased that the Daily Telegraph has today published an apology and set the record straight. I hope that insurance companies and other publications will take note for the future and be in no doubt that if necessary, we will seek to set the record straight again if similar stories appear."

There are two situations where drivers involved in collisions have details shared with third parties and I will deal with them separately.

• Following a collision, police will arrange for vehicles to be recovered from the road where they cause obstruction or danger.
  The police service is obliged to run this scheme to keep roads clear of vehicles which have been involved in a collision and is authorised by law to claim the administrative cost involved. Fees charged for this service are set by law and they avoid costs falling to the public purse.
  In order to get the vehicle removed, officers will contact a recovery company (contracted by police) and give the details of the driver so they can find the vehicle on the road.
  But the recovery company does not pay the police any money for receiving these details, it is just part of the process which allows a vehicle to be recovered. So there is no payment for handing over details to third parties where recovery is concerned. The only payment to police is for the cost the force incurred getting the vehicle removed from the road. In addition, under no circumstances can recovery companies pass on your details to any other party.

• In cases where solicitors or insurance companies, acting on behalf of individuals involved in a collision, request police reports, then an administrative fee can be charged, again to recover costs for this service.
  Under no circumstances can details of individuals involved in traffic collisions be sold, or shared for any purpose other than those described above – where solicitors are already acting on behalf of clients.

For more information please contact:

ACPO Press Office
Association of Chief Police Officers
e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk