What to Do After a Car Accident
Accidents can happen quickly, and it can be hard to remember everything you should do after one occurs. If you are like most people, you studied it in drivers education class in high school, then drove off with your freshly minted license and promptly forgot.
However, things have changed since the days when most of us took it in school. There are more cars on the road, traffic is heavier, and there is no telling how the other person involved in an accident may respond. Even if you always practice safe driving, it never hurts to go over what you do after a crash and how you can be prepared.
What to do after an accident:
1.Check for injuries
Before you do anything else, make sure you are okay and your passengers are, too.
2. Follow the law about moving your car or not
If local or state laws require you to move your car and you can do it safely, you should move it immediately. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it is also just good manners. It is not polite to stay in someone's way, even if that someone is another driver. If you cannot move your car, you should use your hazard lights to alert other drivers.
3. Contact law enforcement
You can help the 911 dispatcher by giving as much detail as possible. Be prepared to tell him or her your exact location, including the highway mile marker or closest intersection. Let the dispatcher know about potential injuries, the number of cars involved, and whether vehicles can get by on the road.
4. Exchange information with the drivers involved
Drivers affected should provide each other with their:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Insurance company name
- Insurance policy number
- Name of the insured person and relationship to the driver
- Drivers license state and number
- License plate number for the driver and the owner of each vehicle
- Car year, make, model, and color
Resist the urge to apologize for the accident even if you think it might be your fault, or to keep it between parties. Law enforcement officers will determine the degree to which each driver may have contributed to the accident.
5. Record what happens
While you're on site, write down the location of the accident and how it happened. Take pictures of the damage done to all the vehicles involved. Ask witnesses for their contact information in case the drivers disagree about the events.
6. Place an accident report
Even if the law enforcement officers don't respond to the accident, which sometimes happens if there are no injuries, download an accident report form from your state's Department of Motor Vehicles website, fill it out and submit it.
7. Notify your insurance provider
Rather than relying on the goodwill of the other drivers to ensure that damages are paid for, submit an insurance claim.
Doing so can help you protect your finances in the long term and get your car fixed more quickly in the short term.
How to be prepared for an accident:
Keep essential items in your car's glove box, such as paper and pencil for taking notes, a card that lists local law enforcement agency contact numbers, and your medical allergies or conditions that first responders should know about in the event where medical assistance is necessary.
Of course these days, you may choose to keep much of this information in your cell phone under a file or note called "ICE" which tells first responders where to look "In Case of Emergency." You may also want to list several of your contacts, such as spouse, parents or an adult children under "ICE" in your phone's contacts list.
