WDYD in a car accident?

[Mattemma]

Yesterday someone ran a red light and I was able to stop before they hit me,so they just sped past me(never braking I might add!) If they had hit me my car would have been totaled on a very busy road just as I was heading to get my kids at school.

I realised that if they had hit me I am not really sure what I was expected to do. I am sure I would have been fine,but my passenger side would have been crushed. If you are OK do you do the following:

1.Call police or call 911? I have the local police number in my cell.

2.Do you stay in the car or walk over to the sidewalk or whatever?

3.Do you move the car if it can be moved,or leave it for police to see?

4.Do you ever let a person go in a fender accident,or do you always file a police report? I ask because I have read posts from people who just exchange insurance,and then later are sued.

5.How do you deal with the person you hit,or the person that hit you? Talk to them? Copy their license? Get their insurance info?
I know you check to make sure they are ok first.Then just back off and not talk till the police come?
I was in one accident years ago and the guy who hit me was yelling at me that it was my fault.All I remember is calling the police,and his insurance paid.I was pregnant so I am sure they were worried about big bills.


6. What do you do with your car? Is it towed to a dealer or to your home?

7.And what do you do with yourself if you are not being transported to the hospital? I have no one to call for a ride. Would the police call me a taxi so I can go get a rental?

I realized yesterday that no matter how careful I am others may not be. Then I realized I really don't know what to do if I am in an accident that I can walk away from. If you have BTDT I would appreciate knowing what to do. I am assuming that regardless of the state we all would have to do the same thing. For example I don't think it is a LAW in any state that we have to call police,but I think it is a good idea to do so.

 

[FarmerJamie]

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I'm sure you're going to get a lot of advice. This would be a good discussion to have with your auto insurance carrier (before you need them)

 

[Cindiloohoo]

1. Call police.
2. Take name and insurance info of other driver involved, and any witnesses for insurance purposes and proceed to call insurance company if their offices are open at the time, otherwise first thing next day make that call!
3. Get physical body out of way of traffic! Vehicle needs to stay put as traffic will stop, and moving it may cause broken glass all in the path of other vehicles.
4. I let small things go, and do not contact insurance. However, IF I do that, the other person does not get access to my insurance information, and usually I take cell pics as proof of damage, or lack thereof should they try to sue. Cells keep date and time info on pics.
5. Talk if they are pleasant, don't if they aren't. Get info and be done if they are being less than civilized.
6. If it is driveable, I drive it home, if not, it is towed.
7. If not driveable the police or tow truck drivier generally gives you a ride home.


Generally it IS in fact a law to call the police. I don't always though SHHHH!

I have been in MANY auto accidents, lucky to be alive, never had more than a permanently twisted spine. Only once did I lose a single drop of blood. I have been in cars that have flipped, hit trees, been rearended, rolled, and fishtailed out of control. I was only the driver in 2 of the 24 accidents I have been involved in. So, I have about as much experience with this crap as most cops

 

[Dar]

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[rebelcowboysnb]

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[phaethona]

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[phaethona]

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I'm sorry, but that's just dangerous!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

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I'm sorry, but that's just dangerous!

A county cops in many states cant even move them till a state cop looks at it an oks it. There are lots of things you can do for safety but that's not a good idea. You can even face charges for doing it in some instances.

 

[phaethona]

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I'm sorry, but that's just dangerous!

A county cops in many states cant even move them till a state cop looks at it an oks it. There are lots of things you can do for safety but that's not a good idea. You can even face charges for doing it in some instances.

our states must have very different rules then. Here, the only time you leave the cars where they are is when the driver is hurt, needs extracating, etc. or if it is not driveable in which case the tow company will move it(sometimes even before the police show up)
I live in a fairly urban setting, lots of traffic, busy four lane highways etc., and it is law to move all non-emergency accident vehicles to the shoulder or right lane if there is no shoulder. you can be ticketed for blocking the road if you are able to move the car and refuse to. many of our streets have signs posted, and the reason for those signs is because the high volume of passersby makes it very dangerous for approaching vehicles to cause a second accident. plus it causes uneccessary back-ups and other problems if you're just sitting in the middle of the road to make a statement. the police here really frown on someone causing such a public commotion just to prove their lack of fault. plus, how could it be safer to sit in the middle of a busy intersection with approaching drivers, sometimes at high speeds, than to simply move a few feet out of the way?

In order for it to be "leaving the scene of an accident" there has to be proof that the one at fault neglectfully abandoned the scene with intent of evading investigation, you won't be charged here if you're simply moving to a safer location. and again, if no one is hurt and the cars are driveable, the police won't come anyway, you have to move out of the way.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Yep yours must be way different that Tn, Al an Ga. All 3 throw a fit if you move the cars. The cops wont even move there cars if they are in a crashes till the state says its ok. An they usually have video of the crash. If they wont I'm not telling someone else to do it. I've worked over 100 wrecks a year over the last 13 years an not once has the ether of the 3 states wanted the cars moved before they got there. Even though they do have those move to the side of the road signs on the interstate.