A car accident is an extremely stressful and shocking experience for all drivers and passengers involved. No matter the severity or volume of the crash, it’s important you ensure certain duties are carried out for your own safety and protection. The safety of all involved is always most crucial, so ensure everyone is free from harm initially. You also need to make sure a police report is filed no matter the size of the accident, so here’s some advice regarding this.
At the Scene
It is advised to contact the police at the scene of the accident, as soon as it is safe for you to do so. This is not only to record the matter legally, but they will also need to attend the location for other factors. For the safety of others, should the road be blocked in any way due to the incident, the police will need to manage this as soon as possible to minimise the chances of future accidents occurring. Likewise, the police will also need to handle the situation if you believe the other driver to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, if they are aggressive and seem to have crashed into you deliberately, and of course if they drive off without exchanging any information.
Information They Will Need
The police will require a lot of the same information that your insurance company will, so be prepared to have these details on hand. These will be specifics such as the name and details of the driver, the details of their car such as the make, year and model, the location of the accident and the direction in which both drivers were travelling, and what you believe to have actually happened in the crash itself. It is an advantage to contact the police whilst you are at the location due to details being fresh in your mind, however this may not be possible due to the circumstances of the collision.
Why It’s Important
Filing a police report after a car accident not only protects yourself, but all parties involved. Amongst the stress and adrenaline following a crash, you are likely to take a while to comprehend what has happened – contacting the police can also enable them to make the decision as to whether or not they need to attend the scene, while you may not have the capacity to decide this in your current state. They may also decide to contact other emergency services should this be necessary and you may feel as though legal help is required and you can contact accident attorneys in Orlando. Smaller accidents need to be reported just the same as larger ones, as injuries and damage may not be apparent at the time, instead developing later. An accurate and legal report of what happened will also go in your favour should you wish to contact your insurance provider to make a claim, protecting yourself should the police need to assist with any information if legal problems arise after the incident.
