You will be in an automobile accident. Make no mistake – it’s only a matter of time. And if it isn’t your mistake, it will be from the other drivers on the road. Fortunately, there are a few things to keep in mind that will make some of the consequences a little less difficult for you.

First, see if anyone is hurt and address that first. Call emergency services, usually 9-1-1, if there’s even the smallest of injuries. You owe that not only to anyone else, but to yourself as well. If you aren’t sure about the severity of a person’s injuries, it’s best to play it safe and call for help. The faster someone is examined after the accident, the faster their recovery will be, as an untreated injury can lead to severe pain later, even if it didn’t seem serious at the time. There are some injuries that aren’t apparent from the outside and which can only be discovered on careful examination. Having a complete medical assessment for any injuries can also help you out if you become involved in a lawsuit over the accident in the future.

If you decide to help other people while waiting for an ambulance or the police, be careful about it. Never move an injured person unless you know exactly what you’re doing. If you don’t have EMT training or other medical emergency training, don’t move them, as any movement may increase the severity of their injuries.

However, if there’s a fire involved in the accident, you do have a good reason to move yourself and anyone else, regardless of how they’re injured. But don’t worry – the chances that an accident will involve an automobile fire are very small. Just don’t endanger yourself unduly. The faster you call emergency services, the faster professionals – with all the training and safety equipment that makes them professionals – will get there. Barring that, everybody stays put - don’t leave the scene of the accident until the police have arrived.

Now is a good time to call 9-1-1, if you have not done so already. The dispatcher will ask you if anyone is hurt, and they’ll dispatch an ambulance. Some areas will automatically send a fire truck, just in case there’s a gas spill or the medical personnel need help removing someone from a vehicle. You may need to give a location, or your cell may have a GPS that the dispatcher can access. Be ready to give your location, and always stay on the line until the dispatcher hangs up to make sure they have all the information they need.

Once any injuries are addressed and emergency contact has been made, you can consider whether or not to move your vehicle. Laws vary from area to area – some major interstate highways require that vehicles be moved out of traffic lanes whenever possible. When in doubt, and unless your car poses an obvious threat to others, leave it where it is. The police can get a better picture of exactly what happened if the cars are in the position they were when the accident occurred.

Take the time to talk to the other people involved. Get their names, addresses, telephone numbers, insurance information and driver’s license numbers. Ask to see those documents and copy the information down exactly as it appears. They’ll probably ask you for the same information, so be ready to give it.

In the event that anyone refuses to give you this information, write down their license plate(s) and call 9-1-1 if it hasn’t already been called. Also note how many passengers are in each vehicle. This way, dishonest drivers can’t claim they had more passengers in the car than they actually did.

The dispatcher will notify the local police immediately, and officers will arrive on the scene to take photos, make some measurements, draw diagrams, and take notes. If litigation does become necessary, this documentation will be very important and may be critical to your case.
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The officer will also ask to see your insurance card, driver’s license, and vehicle registration. Have them ready. You will be asked what happened, and probably the officer will ask that of each driver.

After you’ve answered all the questions, ask the officer for his name and badge number, the address of his police station, and its phone number. You should also ask for the accident report number, case number, when the report will be filed, and how to obtain a copy. All this information is important because your insurance company will need to look at the police report before they decide whether or not to pay your claim. If witnesses are present, the officer will talk to them as well and record their statements in the accident report.

Although it may seem time consuming, following these guidelines will put you in a very good position to deal with any consequences that may follow your car accident.