First and foremost — stay calm
Assess the situation: check for injuries and deal with them first. Call 911 if necessary.
Stay put
Leaving the scene of an accident is against the law. A driver who flees the scene of an accident faces severe penalties.
Make sure you are safe
Turn on your hazard lights and consider setting up reflective triangles or road flares. If it is safe, remain in your car with your seatbelt fastened until the authorities arrive.
Move your car if possible
If it is safe, try to move your car to the side of the road, out of traffic.
Call the police
In cases of injury, theft or break-in, or where there is significant damage, the police must be informed promptly.
Gather information
Gather as much information as you can. Explain the circumstances of the accident, the exact location, weather and road conditions, street lighting, your speed and any other information
that might be important for the police report. Even a hand-drawn diagram will help explain the situation to the authorities.
Get complete driver information
All drivers involved in the collision should exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance company information, and policy numbers. Get the licence plate numbers
of all vehicles involved, plus the make, model, and year.
Get witnesses
Witnesses can be important if your collision case ends up in court or if the other driver disputes your version of events in the police report.
Call your insurance company
Contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident. Working with your insurance company will speed up repair work and settlement of your claim.
Submit a report
Even if you don’t need to call the police, you should still complete an accident report including all relevant information. Forms are available from your police station or auto
insurance company.
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