Road traffic accidents can become complicated when everyone involved denies they are at fault. Who is it that decides who was at fault after an RTA and how do you prove it wasn’t you?

Car accidents can leave you with lasting mental trauma and permanent physical disabilities. The worse the accident is, the more likely it is that those involved will shirk the blame. It’s understandable. Nobody wants to be responsible for hurting another person or destroying property.

Unfortunately, traffic accidents happen every day in Northern Ireland. Naturally, your first call should be to an expert car accident and personal injury lawyer in your area. Lacey Solicitors are on-hand to help. Let’s begin by understanding who determines fault in an accident.

Rear-Ended on Donegall Street: Who Decides Blame?

If you are injured in a car accident in Belfast, working out blame is often more complex than it first seems. This is because it is natural for everyone to deny responsibility. There is always at least one person who is to blame for an accident, however, but who is it that works out who?

The Judge

Ultimately, if everyone denies that they are at fault for the car crash, then the judge and the court system will be the ones who decide blame. There are a few steps before you get to the court system, though, which provide those seeking to claim compensation for their injuries opportunities to set the record straight.

The Police

If you have a claim for whiplash after a minor incident, you may wish to not involve the police. Otherwise, the police will be the first respondents to any accident bad enough to warrant a personal injury claim.

When they arrive on the scene, the police will assess the damages and record everything that they see and do. They will gather evidence, speak to witnesses, and make their own judgements over who is to blame.

If the at-fault party in the car accident is not obvious and the drivers all deny responsibility, then the insurance companies and the RTA solicitors can debate it out.

Police investigators can use the placement of the damage to your car to decide who was to blame, and to build an overview of the accident. For example:

• Driver’s Side Damage to One Vehicle + Front End Damage to Second Vehicle = Driver one is likely at fault. This looks like driver one pulled out onto the road from a junction without spotting driver 2, who then collided with them.
• Driver One Damage to Rear of Vehicle + Driver Two Damage to Front End = Driver two is likely at fault. It looks like driver one has been rear-ended.
• Damage to the front of both vehicles would indicate a head-on collision.

In the event of single car accidents, damage to the car and to road furniture might still help the police to determine what happened.

Insurance Companies

Your insurance company will be eager to prove you were not at fault and will gather as much evidence as it can on your behalf. Similarly, any other drivers who may be at-fault will have their insurance companies do the same thing for them.

Car Accident and Injury Claim Lawyers

You should speak to a car accident solicitor about your case as soon as you can after a car accident. Seek representation to prevent the insurance companies from taking advantage of you. Your road traffic accident solicitor is your best chance of proving you are not at-fault, or of representing you if a judge determines that you were partially to blame for the car crash, after all.

How to Prove Fault After a Car Accident?

Contact an RTA lawyer as soon as you can. Your car accident solicitor can advise you on what evidence will help prove your case. They can help you accumulate necessary paperwork and liaise with police officers and officers of the court on your behalf. They are a key tool for proving you were not to blame… or for defending your actions, should the opposite be true.

City life is fraught with dangerous drivers and fender benders. Could you be guilty of these common road traffic offences or are you a victim? Speaking to a specialist RTA lawyer could help.

Cities Like Belfast Encounter Constant Traffic, Making the Risks of RTOs High

In any big city where there are many people living and working, there is an influx of traffic all day long. Peak times such as school closing or work ending at 3 or 5 pm can make things even worse. After dark, the chances of encountering a drunk or drugged driver increase. There is never a “safe” time of day to drive in a city.

The Motoring Offences Statistics for Northern Ireland indicated that there were an incredible 33,607 detected motoring offences between March 2024 and February 2025. With Belfast being the largest population centre in the country, it stands to reason that a large portion of those took place within the city.

RTOs Fall into 2 Categories: Dangerous Driving or Careless Driving

In NI and the UK, RTOs fall into two categories: dangerous driving or careless/inconsiderate driving.

Careless or Inconsiderate Driving Offences

Careless driving covers road traffic offences such as panic braking, failing to look both ways at a junction, and distracted driving, such as checking your sat nav. If you are driving without due care and attention to the road ahead, then you are a careless driver.

Dangerous Driving Offences

Dangerous driving, on the other hand, includes causes of the worst types of car crash. If you use drugs or drink-drive, then you are a dangerous driver. Speeding, ignoring stop signs or running traffic lights can all count as dangerous behaviour on NI roads.

Careless driving and dangerous driving can both cause accidents. When dangerous drivers cause the accidents through committing a road traffic offence, however, the injuries resulting from the collision are worse.

What are the Common Road Traffic Offences in Belfast, NI?

Living in a big city means that you probably see more road traffic offences than most people do. Look out for the following, especially during peak periods.

Speeding

Speeding falls into the category of dangerous driving. By racing other drivers, attempting to overtake vehicles at maximum speed, or by going too fast in the city streets, you are breaking the law.

Overtaking

Overtaking should only be performed when necessary. Overtaking at an unsafe juncture or overtaking more than one vehicle at once is outright dangerous.

Drink/Drug Driving

The aforementioned Police Service NI motoring statistics revealed that there were 2,910 incidents of drink or drug driving last year. This is the second most common type of RTO, with the comparatively minor “breach of signs & signals” the only area which exceeds that number.

Mobile Phone Use

As you may have guessed, those using their mobile phone while driving are committing an offence. Don’t do it or you could face points on your driving license and/or a fine.

Minor Driving Offences

If you have committed a relatively minor driving offence, then your actions have not yet caused an accident. Minor driving offences encountered in Belfast city centre might include a failure to ensure your passengers are wearing a seatbelt, missing road signs or markings, and driving too closely to other vehicles.

What to do as a Victim of an RTO

If you suffer a car accident or injury because of another person’s road traffic offence, then you may be eligible to claim compensation for those injuries. Contacting an expert traffic accident solicitor should be your next step. Contact Lacey Solicitors Belfast to discuss your potential car accident compensation claim.

From Antrim to Ardglass, getting into a road traffic accident when you are in a rented vehicle adds a new level of discomfort to what is already a difficult time. Follow this guide to what to do after you crash your rental car or van in NI.

If you have a collision while you are driving a rental vehicle, or even if your rental car or van takes damage when you have parked it, then you have responsibilities to the rental car company, to yourself, and to the other driver.

Car crashes are already stressful, so Lacey Solicitors put together this guide to RTAs in a rental car to keep you informed.

Crashing a Rental Vehicle is Stressful

When you crash your own vehicle, you know which insurance company to contact. When you crash a hire vehicle, you might not. Worse, you have extra steps to follow after your accident to make sure you protect your own interests – and your finances.

This handy guide to what to do if you crash your rental van or hired car should take some of the panic out of an RTA in a vehicle which is not yours.

What Happens if You Crash a Rental Car in NI?

If you crash in a rented vehicle on Northern Irish roads, you are covered by UK law. This means that you:

•       Have a duty to stop and help. If you cannot help, then call 999 and report the accident. Preferably both of the above.
•       Set up your warning triangle and turn on your hazard lights if you or another vehicle are obstructing the road.
•       Photograph the accident, including damage to road furniture and direction of travel of all involved.
•       Call your rental company and report the accident. Ask for further advice. They will have a policy in place to deal with accidents. Usually this involves filing a claim for damages and an accident report form.
•       Contact your own road traffic accident solicitor. They will advise you on what you should do next.

Lacey Solicitors, Belfast, offer support for car crash victims throughout Northern Ireland. We can help you bring a claim for compensation against the perpetrator while negotiating the intricacies of an RTA in a vehicle you did not own.

The First Thing You Must Do After a Car Collision

Calling for help or to report the accident, no matter how small, makes a paper trail for the rental company’s insurers to follow. This makes it a vital first step after crashing a rented car or hired van. Making sure people are safe can go hand in hand with this. For example, calling the ambulance for the injured or calling the police to alert them to the accident.

You MUST report all car accidents to the police in the UK within 24 hours.

Checking Your Rental Car Company’s Policy

You should always review the documents you were given when you hired the car after an accident in a rented vehicle. This should set out what you are liable for and what the car’s insurance covers.

In Northern Ireland, your car hire company may be one of the following:

Sixt Northern Ireland, Kings Self Drive, Self Drive Belfast, Enterprise Car & Van Hire, Practical Car and Van Hire, SVRgo Self Drive, Hertz Belfast International, SJS Vehicle Hire, or Drivalia, Belfast.

Who is Liable for an Accident in a Rented Van?

If you have an accident while driving your rented car or van, you are liable for any loss or damages which you caused.

Whether you did or did not cause the accident, the rental company’s insurance firm, or the separate insurance you took out to cover the rented vehicle should cover the damages. Check your paperwork to see if there is an excess due.

Lastly, visit Lacey Solicitors in Belfast for expert advice on road traffic accidents, whether you crash your own car, or someone else’s. Use our contact us page to get in touch and begin the process of claiming compensation after a collision.