I was in an accident! What do I do now?

When you are involved in an accident, there are many things that race through your mind. The most important is the wellbeing of the persons involved. Make sure you and those in your car are okay. If not, get help immediately. If safe, make sure those in other vehicles are okay and get help for them if needed.

Do not exit your vehicle if you are injured or it is not safe to do so. Call 911 and see if they will dispatch CHP or the police to come to the scene. If you are injured, have them send an ambulance.

If possible, take pictures of the scene and the vehicles involved before they are moved from the roadway to allow traffic to proceed. If there are witnesses at the scene, get their names, address and phone numbers immediately as in all likelihood they will leave fairly quickly. Exchange complete information with the other drivers involved – name, address, insurance, the vehicle license plate numbers, and driver’s license number.

If you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, safely try as best you can to obtain the other vehicle’s license plate number. If the other vehicle flees the scene of the accident, do not give chase or attempt to apprehend the other driver.

Remember comments or statements made by the other driver and write them down later. When asked if you are okay, do not say, “I’m fine”, say you are unsure, or dazed, or you will have to wait and see. Of course, if you really are fine, don’t lie. Also, if you are unsure as to the cause of the accident, do not say it was your fault.

In speaking with the police or emergency personnel, tell them if you are hurt and where. Do not overestimate or guess the speed of the other vehicle. “In my mind, the other car was traveling very fast” is probably more accurate than “The other guy was going 55 miles per hour.” If you were stopped at the time of the accident, do not say, “I was stopped at this light for five minutes.” Simply indicate you had been stopped for “some time.”

Once cleared from the accident scene, seek medical attention if needed. Do not wait weeks or months; see your health care provider soon after the accident.

Finally, if you wish, consult with a personal injury attorney. The consultation should be provided to you at no cost.

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