Car Accidents: How to Prepare and Act

According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation, the average American motorist drives about 12,500 miles per year.  The chances are high that you will be involved in an automobile accident at some time or another.  The following is what you should do to be prepared for an accident and what actions you should take in the event of an accident.
In case of an accident, you should have the following in your car:

• Your insurance card and vehicle registration.
• A camera.
• A first-aid kit.
• A flashlight.
• Jumper cables.
• Tools to change a tire.
• A card with both your medical information and emergency contact information.

At the accident site:

• Stop immediately after the accident; leaving the scene of an accident is illegal.
• Make sure that you and anyone else involved in the accident are not injured.
  • Call 9-1-1 immediately if anyone appears injured.
• Move your car somewhere safe and away from traffic; but again, be sure not to leave the scene of the accident.
• Contact the police.  They may or may not come to the accident site.
• Remain calm.
  • Try to think logically.  It is important that you remember everything that is happening.  If you have the means, take a video or audio recording of the events following the accident;
  • Communicate with others involved in the accident, police, and/or emergency personnel as calmly as possible.  Being angry or hysterical will only make the process of clearing the area longer;
  • Regardless of who is at fault, do not discuss the accident with anyone who was involved in it.
• When speaking with a police officer:
  • Do not admit fault.  Simply recount the events of the accident truthfully.
• Get the contact information of people at the accident scene, including:
  • Witnesses;
  • Police officers.
• Gather information about everyone actually involved in the accident; usually if there is a police officer present, they will have a form that you can fill out that specifies which information you need.  If not, you will need the following information from everyone involved in the accident:
  • Car make, model, and year;
  • Insurance carrier name and policy number;
  • License plate number;
  • Address and phone number.
• Take a lot of pictures of:
  • All vehicles involved, damage or not.
  • The surrounding area.
• Call a tow truck if it is obvious that your car is not drivable; tow trucks can take time to arrive at an accident scene.

After the accident:

• If a police officer was not present at your accident, you need to file a state vehicle accident report at a police station in the area where the accident occurred.
• Go to the doctor and get checked out.  Many times, adrenaline, shock, and other things can prevent you from realizing that you are hurt.
• Write down as many details of the accident as you can.  Draw diagrams of how you remember the accident happening to refresh your memory later.
• Contact your insurance company to notify them of the accident.
• Keep all of your accident information (i.e. accident report, bills, contact information, pictures, etc.) in one place that is easy for you to remember and locate.
• Contact the DMV if any property, yours or another’s, was damaged.

Contact a lawyer if:

• You need to sue and/or are being sued:
  • Find a lawyer who has experience with car accident cases;
  • Make sure to bring all accident related materials and receipts of any bills you incurred as a result of the accident.
• You are unsure of your rights:
  • For example, some insurance companies will ask you to consent to a recorded recount of the events.  You need to protect yourself and many of us are not fully aware of what rights we do and do not have.
  • Remember, if you or a loved one has been in a car accident, you’ll need an experienced car accident lawyer to represent you in the court of law for the best chances at getting the maximum financial compensation that you deserve.