What is the proper procedure when you are in a car accident with another vehicle?

loco_tech85

There is no set of correct procedures for a car accident, however I recommend the following:

1. If there aren't any injuries and the vehicles can be moved, move them to the side of the road (any trained police officer can determine how the accident happened without having to see the cars the way they ended up).
2. You should keep a pad and pen in your glove compartment (in order to take down license plate #'s [in case someone leaves without exchanging info]) and to exchange phone #'s with the other driver(s).
3. Keeping a disposable camera is also a good idea, especially 1 that time/date stamps the photo. Polaroids are also good.
4. If both you and the other driver agree that the damage is minimal, work it out before the cops gets there. Minor property damage accidents w/o injury are the biggest & fastest way to get insurance premiums jacked up. Each state's threshold for reporting monetary damage will be different.
5. If you believe the other person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving without a drivers license/insurance then disregard #4.

Steve H

First, if both cars are moveable, get them off of the street. Most states have laws that make it illegal to block traffic after an accident if the vehicles are moveable. You can be ticketed, and I would like to see it happen more often. Traffic is bad enough without you and your cosmetically damaged car blocking two lanes of traffic. I saw a post about leaving your car where it is. DON'T. Get out of the road. It is safer for you and for other traffic.

Sorry, got off on a rant there. Back to reality. Next, call the police. Make sure the other driver isn't injured if you haven't done so already. You might as well exchange info while you are waiting on the officer to get there. Hang out for a while. See if you can offer the other driver a beer or two. It will help you out in the long run.

That's about it.

shell answer man

100% the first thing the cop (Steve H) says is the most important thing. I don't know how much time I've wasted in traffic simply because two people in some fender bender can't decide that it's patently effin obvious to both parties who hit whom from behind or who was making the lane change. Get off the road, you're really only spreading the misery by blocking a lane of traffic. Obviously if there's injuries...it's a different thing but the cars are usually damaged in that case and that's a whole different story - usually in that case a cop/ambulance/fireman will come by and advise you on what to do.

PiNkY

Here in the U.S., you should leave your vehicle where it is, as it is, until the authorities arrive to document everything. Once they arrive, they will drawn a diagram for your insurance company, and perhaps take photographs in case of a question of whose fault it was.

S.E.E.N

Always carry one of thos paper camera. I have had an incident with an old lady once. She claimed that I destroy her car but because I had a camera handy in my glove box comportment with the picture of her car, my court was dismissed and she could not get any dime from me even tough I had my car insurance. Play it smart. Take care

jimobasa

Exchange insurance details and make a note of the extent of the damage to both vehicles.

hashim a

is to try as much as possible to save lifes first and take passenger or who ever involve to the hospital for treatment,so that life can be safe.before getting too bad.

just_wondering_qa21

Yeah you should always carry a disposably camera in your car but leave it in the protective wrap or it will melt...=( Had to learn that the hard way. And if you should always move your vehicles to the side of the rode that is what the camera is for take the pictures of them where they hit each other really quick in case there is any disagreement about where the cars were.

Hieroglyphic Graffitti!

Start yelling and proclaiming how careless the other driver is to create the impression that it wasn't your fault. Then wait for police to come and document the incident.

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