driving without due care and attention

[louise pooh]

ive just recieved a letter in the post saying im being prosecuted for driving without due care and attention prior to a road traffic accident! I was schocked when i read it as i dont have any recolection of being involved in a road traffic accident! The letter states that it took place in a car park and the date, time and place are all correct, i was leaving the car park at this time and i do remember vaquely struggling to reverse out of the car park space as i only passed my test 2 months ago! so i can only assume i clipped a car without realising and just drove off! ill obviouslty explain this in a letter but i can only assume im guilty but just didnt realise, can anyone tell me what they think might happen and what the penelty could be as im worried as ive never been in trouble before! will i have to go to court?
Any responses will be appriciated,
Thankyou.x.

[Ethel]

You must write that although you were at that place at that time on that date (how on earth do you remember that?) you were not involved in any accident.

Have they provided all the details?

[New Judge]

Magistrates' guidelines for the offence suggest a fine of one week's net income (reduced by a third if you plead guilty) and between 3 and 9 points.

From the way you describe the incident I would suggest it will fall at the lower end of the range.

Seek more details before you decide whether to plead guilty.

[louise pooh]

They havent sent me any exact details, but i have asked them to.
There is a really small dent in the front of my car i just never connected it as it took me a while to get out of the space and i was getting frustrated but i didnt feel i hit anything as i would have stopped to leave my details,I know for sure i was there at that time so im sure it must be true i just cant believe i didnt realise!!! i'm really annoyed with myself!!!
so wots the likelyhood of me having to go to court? wot will happen next? HELP!!!

[interele]

Not an answer but another question

I didn't even know you could get done for anything in a car park - I thought they are private land and not the public highway.

Some one ran into me in a supermarket car park
and the only recourse I had was to sue ( which I didn't in the end because it wasn't worth the effort)

[randyraven]

ok loiuse pooh ....

Don't panic.

1) This is a standard NIP. Do fill it in to say you were the driver and return in 28 days. This is important.

2) Did they notify you within 14 days of the offence ?

3) How did they get your number plate ?

If they have no witness to the incident and the fatcs are vague, you will most likely get another letter saying no further action wil be taken. But the person you hit may try to take civil action.

Prior to going to court ask for full disclosure on the incident from the police. At the moment just wait.

I'm sure you will be ok ....

[north star]

In answer to interele, provided the car park was open to joe public then all the rules apply as if it was the highway.

[louise pooh]

a letter from the police!!!

[tbates2614]

I was in the exact situation, did not realise I had hit anything until I got a letter from police/insurance - public car park. Was interviewed by police and answered his questions honestly - no further action was taken.

[louise pooh]

No futher action was taken, thanks for any responses x