We here at Trinity Auto Care hope you never have to refer to this blog post but it’s good information to have in the event you are involved in an auto accident. It doesn’t matter who’s at fault right after the accident happens. What matters is gathering the appropriate information for the authorities and your insurance company; that is after you’ve checked to make certain no one is hurt first. Gathering information establishes who caused the incident and, hopefully, it wasn’t you.
Pull Over to Safety
If your vehicle isn’t seriously damaged it’s better to pull over to safety rather than remain in traffic. If the accident happened on the freeway, pull over to the shoulder. If it happened on city streets, pull over to the curb or into a nearby parking lot. If you cannot move your vehicle, stay where you are. Whether you can pull over to safety or not, put your vehicle in park and shut it off, and turn on your hazard lights.
Check for Injuries
If you have passengers in your vehicle check them for injuries first. Check yourself, too, because adrenaline can mask pain and you might be hurt without realizing it. If all is well in your vehicle, exit it safely – safely – and check for injuries in the other vehicles involved. If anyone is hurt at all or if the vehicles are in danger of catching fire, call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance. Don’t take chances, even minor bumps, bruises, and cuts should be checked by medical professionals.
Call the Authorities
If you don’t need to call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance call it for local police. Police should be called to the scene no matter how minor the accident is. This prevents tempers from flaring and allows them to make an official report that will help with your insurance claim. In addition, people who witnessed the accident will be more likely to talk with the police than they will to talk with you and witnesses help your case, especially if you weren’t at fault.
Gather Information and Document the Scene
Gather the following information. You will need it to file your insurance claim and in the event, the other driver decides to file a legal action or you decide to file legal action. Write down
- The names and contact information of everyone involved in the accident. This includes drivers and their passengers or pedestrians or bicyclists.
- The make, model, year, color, and license plate numbers of all vehicles involved in the accident.
- The registration number of all vehicles and driver’s license number of all drivers involved in the accident.
- All insurance company information, including policy numbers and contact information.
- Eyewitness names and contact information.
- The exact location of the accident.
- The names and badge numbers of responding policepersons.
- Your recollection of the events of the accident.
Document the accident with photos and videos next. Make sure to capture as many photos or take a comprehensive video of the entire scene including a 360-degree view of all vehicles involved.
Finally, file your insurance claim and contact Trinity Auto Care in White Bear Lake, MN, for a vehicle inspection. We don’t do bodywork, but we can inspect your vehicle for damage to crucial operating systems. We maintain and repair cars, trucks, SUVs, and classic cars.