What To Do When You're In An Accident

Always Call the Police

If you are involved in a minor car crash, it may be tempting to exchange information with the other driver and go your separate ways. This is not a good idea. Always call the authorities so that they can respond, write up a detailed police report about the car accident, and take care of any injured parties. This will ensure that your description of the accident is properly recorded and that the fault of the accident can be determined so that you do not have to fight with your insurance company or the other driver's insurance company to clarify what happened to cause the collision.

Safety First

No matter how minor, you must never leave the scene of a motor vehicle collision. If possible, you and the other drivers involved should leave the vehicles where they landed at the point of impact so that the responding police can see how the accident occurred. Put your hazard lights on so that other drivers are made aware of what is going on. But, if this is not an option because it is unsafe to leave the vehicles as is, you must observe the Move Over Law, which helps ensure that the drivers, passengers, and first responders are safe at the scene of the collision. Take a few pictures of the vehicles before moving them off to the side of the road so that you and the other people involved can stay safe until the first responders and police arrive at the scene.

Is Anyone Hurt?

If you think you or anyone in your vehicle has been injured in the collision, stay put until the authorities arrive. If you can safely get out of the car, check on your passengers and the occupants of the other vehicles to see if anyone has been injured and if there is anything you can do to help the injured parties until emergency services arrive. Everyone involved in the accident should stay in a safe spot away from traffic until then.

Collect Information at the Scene of the Car Accident

Be sure to take pictures of the car accident scene, vehicle damage, and the vehicle license plate numbers and document the date and time of the accident and the exact location of the collision. You should also take down the other drivers' names, addresses, phone numbers, vehicle years, makes, models, and vehicle identification numbers, the names of their car insurance companies, and policy numbers so that your claim can be expedited without having to wait for the final policy report which can sometimes are not available until weeks after the accident. Never share your social security number or your auto insurance coverage limits.

Do Not Discuss the Fault of the Car Accident

Anything you say at the accident scene can be held against you later. After ensuring everyone involved is safe and unhurt, leave the discussion of how the accident occurred and who caused it to the police. Do not accept responsibility at the scene, even if you think you caused the accident. You may be disoriented and emotional and may say inaccurate things. These things can be held against you later by a car accident lawyer or insurance adjuster. It is best to let the details of the accident and determination of fault come from the authorities involved.

Call a Towing Company if Your Car is not Safe to Drive

If your car has sustained heavy damage in the car accident or fluids are leaking from underneath it, you will need to call a towing company to tow your car. If you are a member of a motor club such as AAA or if you have roadside assistance coverage through your car insurance company or your vehicle's manufacturer, call the emergency roadside phone number so that a tow truck can respond to the scene and tow the car to the closest repair shop or car dealership. If you do not have this coverage, call a local towing company and ask for assistance.

Call Your Car Insurance Company

Even if the car accident you were involved in was minor, you must notify your insurance company of the loss. Even if the accident was not your fault, your insurance carrier can help you set up a car accident claim and get your car fixed quickly if your auto insurance policy covers the claim. Suppose your insurance company pays out on the claim you were not at fault. In that case, they will work with the at-fault driver's car insurance company through an insurance claims process called subrogation, which means that they will attempt to recover the cost of the repairs to your car, medical expenses, and any associated legal fees from the at-fault driver's insurance company.