Who Is Responsible For Cleaning Up After A Car Accident?

• What is trauma cleaning?
• Why are trauma cleaners needed for a car accident?
• Who is financially responsible for trauma cleaning?
• What if nobody is at fault?
• What happens after a car accident?
• Get in touch

A car accident can be incredibly traumatic and stressful for either party involved, especially if it ends tragically. On average, five people die every day in the UK due to a traffic collision, and whoever is at fault will be burdened with the financial costs of cleaning up.

Here at ICE Cleaning, we are trauma cleaning specialists qualified by The National Association of Crime Scene Cleaners (NACSC). Our rapid response trauma cleaners are fully trained in crime scene cleaning and road traffic accident clean-up, and will meet council standards for cleaning.

Read on to learn more about who is responsible for trauma cleaning after a car accident.

What is trauma cleaning?

Trauma cleaners are incredibly different from a standard cleaning service that clean and maintain buildings with commercial solutions. These specialists are qualified to provide cleaning services for traumatic incidents such as:

• Crime scene cleaning
• Industrial accidents
• Murder or suicide scenes
• Undiscovered deaths

They can remove biohazards like blood, bodily fluids, and drug paraphernalia. Strong chemicals and disinfectants are used in combination with specialist techniques throughout the trauma cleaning process.

Why are trauma cleaners needed for a car accident?

After a car accident, the last thing you would consider is the destruction of the aftermath. There may be debris from road signs, the cars involved, or bollards.

However, biohazards may be present if a driver has been killed or seriously injured. Bloodborne pathogens could be exposed to the public, and bystanders are at risk of encountering:

• Hepatitis B (HBV)
• Hepatitis C (HCV)
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

The road or car may have blood and bodily fluids present on them, which could be dangerous for any emergency service individual to try to clean. Therefore, trauma cleaners are contacted by the council to deal with these hazards quickly to protect the public.

Debris cleaning is also handled by those hired by local council services to do so. However, sometimes the council are not responsible for paying for these services.

Who is financially responsible for trauma cleaning?

Even though the council will contact specialists themselves after an accident, you may be deemed responsible by the police and therefore ordered to pay the council. If you, the other party, or both are responsible for a car accident, then the responsibility of payment will fall to that individual.

You might have a car insurance policy that covers biohazard or trauma cleaning. However, not all insurance providers offer this policy, and you must review your policy before making a claim.

What if nobody is at fault?

When an accident happens due to a hazard on the road, malfunctioning traffic lights, or icy roads left without salt grit, you may not be considered liable to pay for any fees. However, this is not a guarantee, and you should always consult a solicitor before making a claim against the council.

If nobody is liable, and it was the council's fault, they will be responsible for paying the fees for cleaning services.

What happens after a car accident?

When a car accident has occurred, you must stop the car immediately and remain at the scene to determine if anyone is injured.

If anyone is hurt, you must call emergency services and request medical attention as well as the presence of police. The following steps may take place in the event a clean-up is required:

• If there is debris in the road, police will cordon off the area to resume traffic or restrict the area
• The council will be alerted by the police if anyone has been injured or killed, and if cleaning is required
• If anyone has been injured or killed, your vehicle and the debris may be taken by police to collect evidence
• Towing vehicles and clean-up crews will arrive on-site once emergency services have collected injured people and evidence

If you receive a letter from the council and are found liable for the costs, you must contact your insurance provider or speak to a solicitor for legal advice if you feel you were not responsible.

When your car returns to you after an accident that involved injury or death, you will be responsible for contacting trauma cleaning services to clean your vehicle. Blood or bodily fluids could be present and require specialist cleaning and decontamination as soon as possible.

Get in touch

At ICE Cleaning, our expert technicians qualified in trauma clean-up services will offer rapid response and will arrive on-site discreetly if requested. Our industry-standard solutions will ensure thorough decontamination of the road and vehicles involved.

We are available nationwide, 24/7, 365 days a year. You can get in touch today by calling us at 0208 066 0360 or emailing us at enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk for a free, no-obligation quote.