Car accidents at work

Do you have a question about work? For free and confidential legal advice you can ask us a question here or contact us on 1800 953 673 (9.00am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday). 

The information on this page is all about car accidents at work, either in your own personal car or in a work car.

Safety is the priority – yours, and anyone else involved in the accident. Before you do anything else, make sure you stop, assist if safe, seek medical attention, and report to the police if necessary. For more information on what to do in a car crash generally, see our page on car accidents and crashes.

I was driving for work and caused a car accident. What do I do first?

The car accident was my fault. Do I have to pay, or does my boss?

In most cases, you will not have to pay for any damage caused by a car accident that happened at work, but this depends on a few things. First, it can make a difference if you are an employee, or a contractor.  See our page on Independent Contractors to learn about the differences between a contractor and an employee. If you are still unsure, contact us here for free advice. 

For employees:

In most cases, your employer will be responsible for any damage caused while you were driving for work, even if it was your fault. This is called ‘vicarious liability’. But you might be responsible if: 

• ​​the accident involved your ‘serious and wilful misconduct’ (like drink driving); or
• you were using the work car for something that wasn’t for work, like going away for a trip or picking friends up.

If your employer is telling you that you must pay for the damage, or has deducted money from your pay, contact us here for free legal advice. 

For independent contractors

If you are a contractor and driving a company car for, or at work, and you cause a car crash, the employer who contracted you may still be responsible – except in situations that involved serious or wilful misconduct, such as drink driving, or you were not driving for work purposes at the time. 

What if I was in my own car?

In most cases, for employees and independent contractors, if you were driving for work and you were not driving recklessly or under the influence, then your boss will still be responsible for the damage – and can usually claim through their own insurer. You may still have to make a claim through your own insurer too. This can be confusing, so we encourage you to contact us here for free legal advice. 

The car accident wasn’t my fault. Who has to pay for the damage?

In most cases, if the accident was the other driver’s fault, either they, or their insurer, will pay for repairs and other costs. If you have been hit by someone and they DON’T have insurance, then your employer can generally make a claim with their own insurer if they have what is called ‘Comprehensive Insurance’. In almost all cases, you won’t have to pay anything.

If your employer or the other driver is telling you that you must pay for the damage, or there is a dispute about whose fault it was, contact us here for free legal advice. 

I’ve been injured in a car accident at work – can I get compensation?

There are different types of compensation available for car accidents at work. Contact us here for free advice about what compensation may be available in your situation. 

I was in a car accident on my way to work, or on my way home from work. Does my boss have to pay, or do I?

In most cases in the ACT, your boss is liable for ‘employment related journeys’, and you can make a workers compensation claim. This includes:

• a journey between the worker’s home and workplace 
• a journey between the worker’s home and an educational institution that the worker is attending for an employment-related purpose (like attending TAFE as part of an apprenticeship); or 
• a journey between home or work and the doctor, if the doctor’s appointment relates to another workplace related injury.

If you have been in a car accident at work and you're not sure what to do, you can contact us here for free and confidential legal advice.