Emotions can run high after a car accident, even a minor one with no injuries. Since it may be hard to keep a level head and remember everything you should do, reviewing and printing out the information below will help should you ever need it.
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The Cardinal Rule of Car Accidents: Remain at the Scene
No matter how upset you are, don’t leave the scene of an accident until the police tell you to do so. If you leave without exchanging information with the other driver and that person sustains injuries, the police could criminally charge you for involvement in a hit-and-run accident.
If the accident takes place in a deserted area, you may want to drive to the nearest police station to report it if your car isn’t damaged too badly. It’s always best to exercise caution when exiting your vehicle with no other witnesses except you and the other driver.
Check Your Passengers and Yourself for Injuries
After the impact, check to see if everyone in the vehicle is okay. If anyone complains of neck or back pain or is unconscious, don’t move that person until qualified medical help arrives. The only exception to this rule is if the person is lying in gas or the car has caught fire. In that case, move the injured person as little as possible and support their neck and back while doing so. Call 9-1-1 from your cellphone immediately to dispatch an ambulance if you suspect serious injuries.
Notify the Police and Exchange Information with the Other Driver
Even if no one appears seriously injured, you need to contact the police so they can take an accident report. The responding officer will ask for the following information from you and the other driver:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Physical address
- Name of insurance company and policy number
- Description of the accident
You should already have proof of insurance in your vehicle that you can hand to the police officer. Be sure to get the officer’s name, badge number, and contact information to obtain a copy of the police report later.
Besides basic contact and insurance information, get the license plate number of the other vehicle involved. You may also want to obtain the contact information for passengers in the other car.
Don’t take responsibility for the crash at the scene, even if you think it was your fault. This could come back to haunt you later if the other driver states that you admitted liability right after the accident happened. Who is at fault and the exact series of events that caused it to happen are not always clear in the chaotic aftermath of an accident.
