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What should I do if I'm in an accident?

Home » Insurance » What to do if you have a car accident » What should I do if I'm in an accident?

The Consumer Protection Association of America has made a big step in raising public awareness on what to do after being involved in an accident by designating the week before Memorial Day each year "National Driver Education Week." The Association has developed a list of suggestions to help drivers anticipate what they need to know about dealing with an accident.

Dr. Ray Bruce, president of the Consumer Protection Association of America said, "These tips can make a big difference in everything from protecting yourself and your passengers to ensuring that you won't be without a car while yours is in the shop."

The first step is to keep an emergency kit in your glove compartment or trunk. Chances are you already carry a cell phone, but you'll also need a working pen and some paper for taking notes. It also helps to have a disposable or digital camera to take photos of the vehicles at the scene, and a card with information about medical allergies or conditions that may require special attention if there are serious injuries. You should also keep a list of contact numbers for law enforcement agencies handy in your car or in your cell phone contact list. A set of cones, warning triangles or emergency flares should be kept in the trunk in your emergency kit.

Second, keep safety your first priority. Drivers involved in minor accidents with no serious injuries should move their cars to the side of the road and out of the way of oncoming traffic. Leaving cars parked in the middle of the road or in a busy intersection can result in additional accidents and injuries. If a car cannot be moved, drivers and passengers should remain in the cars with seatbelts fastened for everyone's safety until help arrives. Make sure to turn on hazard lights and set out cones, flares or warning triangles if possible.

Once everyone is safe, exchange information. It is important that you exchange your name, address, phone number, insurance company, policy number, driver license number and license plate number for the driver and the owner of each vehicle involved in the accident. If the driver's name is different from the name of the insured, establish what the relationship is and take down the name and address for each individual. Also make a written description of each car, including year, make, model and color -- and the exact location of the collision and how it happened. Finally, be polite but do not, do not, do not tell the other drivers or the police that the accident was your fault, even if you think it was.

After exchanging information, photograph and document the accident. Use your camera to document the damage to all the vehicles. Keep in mind that you want your photos to show the overall context of the accident so that you can make your case to a claims adjuster. If there were witnesses, try to get their contact information; they may be able to help you if the other drivers dispute your version of what happened. This is very important; use your camera phone if you have to.

The next step is filing an accident report. Although law enforcement officers in many locations may not respond to accidents unless there are injuries, drivers should file a state vehicle accident report, which is available at police stations and often on the Department of Motor Vehicles Web site as a downloadable file. A police report often helps insurance companies speed up the claims process.

When you get home, scour your insurance policy - although you should already know it. The whole insurance process will be easier following your accident if you know the details of your coverage. For example, don't wait until after an accident to find out that your policy doesn't automatically cover costs for towing or a replacement rental car. Generally, for only a dollar or two extra each month, you can add coverage for rental car reimbursement, which provides a rental car for little or no money while your car is in the repair shop or if it is stolen. Check your policy for specifics.

Next Page: Who pays for the damages?

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