What to Do When You’re Involved In A Car Accident

Involved in a car accident The first important step is to take a few deep breaths to help calm down. If you’re calm, you’re better equipped to focus, remember, and spread that calm demeanor to any others involved.

Check others

If others are involved, next check to see if they’re okay, or whether they have injuries. Check yourself, too. If medical help is needed, call 911 to coordinate.

Grab your kit

A car accident kit is invaluable if you’re ever in an accident. Every driver should assemble one and in it have pen and paper, emergency contact numbers, registration and auto insurance cards, disposable camera (if your cell phone isn’t equipped to take pictures or is damaged in the accident), road flares or reflective signs, and night sticks. These items will help you make notes, record evidence of damage, and stay safe.

Move cars or warn others

If the accident is minor, move cars out of the way of other drivers. If not, protect the cars from further damage and others involved in the accident by setting up road flares and other warning devices a few hundred feet in front of and behind the vehicles.

Dial 911

If the incident has not already been reported to authorities, do so now by dialing 9-1-1.

Start documenting

Even if the police are responding, it’s a good idea to exchange with the other driver(s): name, address, contact numbers, auto insurer and phone number, policy number, plate number, driver’s license number, and car details (make, model, year, color).
Get contact information from all witnesses and their driver’s license numbers.
Take pictures of vehicle locations, vehicle damage, and property damage. Take notes on all of this if you don’t have a camera. Also note date, time, direction traveling, approximate speed, injuries, car damage, and how you believe the accident occurred.
File an accident report at the nearest police station if the police are not present at the accident site.
Keep quiet, except as necessary to gather your documentation or if asked a question by law enforcement officers or insurance agents. Don’t admit fault, elaborate, or accuse. And don’t accept money from the other party.

Contact your auto insurance company ASAP

If you’ve made notes on all of the above, it should be relatively easy to answer any questions your auto insurance company has.