Even the most careful driver may have a traffic accident. It is a stressful time. Here is some advice to help you.

Ahead of time you should make sure you have the following:

• At least one working pen or pencil and a small note pad in the car.

• Have a card with relevant medical information for you and your family in your wallet.

Also, always have:

• Your car registration,

• Auto insurance card, and

• Disposable camera (you do have one, right?), in your glove compartment.

• Safety reflective triangles, cones or road flares, in the car trunk (As required by law in some provinces and states).

After an Accident:

Stay at the scene of the accident until police have come and gone.
1. Try to remain calm. Be polite, but do not admit fault or discuss the accident with other involved parties or their insurance agents. Likewise, do not accuse the other drivers of being at fault at this time.

2. Call 911 for the police and an ambulance if there are any serious injuries.

3. Turn on the car’s hazard lights.

4. In a minor accident, and only if it is safe to do so, take some photos, and then move the car to the side of the road; In a major accident, do not move the car.

5. Place your triangles, cones or road flares on the roadway about a hundred feet ahead of the accident. If the accident occurred after a sharp bend in the road, such as in a mountainous area, place another road flare at the bend to alert other motorists of danger ahead.

6. Ask police for a written report be made and get the report’s identifying number, along with the badge number and names of police officers on the scene.

7. Get the names, addresses and driver’s license numbers of other involved parties. Also, write down information about the other vehicles (license plate numbers, states of issue, and the makes, models and colors of each car involved). Make immediate notes about the accident including the specific damages to all vehicles involved.

8. Also try to get the names, addresses, phone numbers and driver’s license numbers of any witnesses at the scene of the accident.

9. Notify your insurance agent as soon as possible. Be completely truthful, but limit your discussion of the accident to the police and to your own insurance agent- only. Later, do not discuss the accident to anyone other than the police, your own insurance agent, your own attorney, plus friends and family (if you must).

10. Do not sign any document unless it is for the police, your own insurance agent, or your own attorney.
You may print this out and keep for reference.