Winter Driving in the High Peak: What to Do After a Snake Pass Prang

Peak District weather is hard on bodywork

Between November and March we see three times the accident volume from the A57, A6 and A625. Salt, ice, standing water and blind bends do a lot of damage. Here is the drill.

Step 1 — Get yourself safe

If the car is still driveable and you are not blocking traffic, move it to a lay-by. If not, keep your seatbelt on, hazards on, and wait for recovery. Do not stand on the road in poor visibility.

Step 2 — Call recovery, not the insurer

The AA and RAC will move you off the road faster than an insurer-appointed recovery. Your insurer can catch up later.

Step 3 — Photograph everything

Vehicle positions, damage, weather, road surface, road signs, other driver's number plate, dashcam clips if you have them. Take them before anything is moved.

Step 4 — Report to the police within 24 hours

If there is injury or a vehicle is left blocking the road, you must report to the police within 24 hours by law. Failure is a driving offence.

Step 5 — Call us before the insurer

WBARC will get your car recovered, arrange the courtesy car, and manage the claim end to end. Insurers rely on scripts and call centres. We know the A57 personally.

How we handle Snake Pass jobs

Structural checks first — the road surface hides a lot of underbody damage. Then diagnostic scan for hidden fault codes. Then paintwork. Every job includes ADAS re-calibration because those systems get thrown out by any front-end impact.

Frequently asked

Do you recover from the Snake Pass?

Yes, 24/7. Call 0800 7 999 629.

What if my car is a total loss?

We provide an independent engineer report and help you negotiate the insurer's offer, which is usually 15 to 25 percent low.

Do you cover Glossop and Buxton?

Yes. Free collection from every SK13 and SK17 postcode.