Can the police impound my motorbike after a accident without my permission?

I was driving my Honda cbr bike when either i got hit or hit into a van. To be honest i don't remember, all i do remember is waking up to a paramedic. The van was driving on the road too, not parked. I'm 3rd party insured on mce. Fire and theft. The police impounded my bike without my permission in my opinion as i had a licence insurance everything on the bike was legitimate. I ended up in hospital after the accident. As i had a fractured leg it took me a week to get out. When i was told about my bike in the police impound by letter i was more then pissed. They charged me recovery and impound fees. Is this really allowed to happen What's happen to the police. There suppose to help people not bill them for something that was purely a accident.

Yes. If you were awake and had a insurance service card that said call this tow truck instead and told them that- then maybe they'd have done it for you- but not likely. Would you rather the police had called a 'Outlaw' to come and get it? I asked police to sort of do that and the officer did it before taking me to hospital- the cycle was back on street as a club loaner in a week, I couldn't reach throttle until casts came off 2 months later. I later got another cycle from the police impound- it had been hit by stolen car pursued by police, rider lost lower left leg and gave up riding, insurance wrote off cycle and I got it for 6 months storage, tow fees--and it was on the road 2 weeks later, I road that old R50/2 for about 3 years, made some long runs to rallies 500 miles away from home. Police didn't 'ask' permission then of rider that was probably not able to give instructions.

UK Answer
What were they supposed to do with your bike, leave it lying in the road? Dump it over a wall or maybe lean it up against a lamppost? It took you a week to get out of hospital you'd have been rightly peed off if they had not secured your bike. They had a duty both to keep the streets clear and protect your property. Not being a charity they must recover the costs of vehicle storage otherwise the local ratepayers would have to pick up the bill.
Accident costs such as these would normally be covered by insurance but as you decided to 'save' money by going third party this, along to any damage to your bike, is down to you unless you can prove the accident was the other driver's fault.

The police have to clear the accident scene and your bike was in pieces on the roadway and you weren't there to clear the scene. You probably wouldn't have been able to anyway, even if you hadn't been injured.

So, yes, the police have the right to impound your vehicle. Those fees get covered by insurance if the offending party has insurance.

Actually they were helping you…
1) They needed to get the bike off the road for the safety of all motorists.
2) If they left it there and the bike got stolen you would be mad about that.
3) You would expect the same. The police juts can't leave busted vehicles everywhere.

Yeah happened when I wrote off my car, it's recovering it from the scene, costs a bomb to keep it in the graveyard though, I called my insurance and they sorted out moving it to be written off officially the next day and they covered the cost of recovery which was £250!

Fair enough that makes sense. I'm just New to all this and it seemed abit odd. Ill just have to fork out for it and next time get full insurance. Lesson learned.

It's evidence, so thet can take it. Then if it comes to a trial, they have it unmolested & original. Like if you or the van say your brakes failed - They can test them

You left it in the street. They don't need your permission.

If the acident was without your permission then I think they can't. If it was WITH your permission they can as there maybe an insurance issue.

The police can do whatever they want to do without your permission.

Get it out quick, the fees are daily.

So you would rather they left it at the side of the road so anyone can take it away. Would you like them to also leave the keys in it to your house. They impounded it because you did not provide proof of insurance at the scene of the accident (At a guess)

Andy C

You clearly couldn't ride you bike after the accident even if it could be still run. The police have all un-drivable vehicles and vehicles whose owner can't drive them towed. This cost money. There's always a fee for it.

If they were impounding it for any other reason it would have been listed in the letter along with a citation.

Did you expect them to leave it in the street?

Yes they have the right