Safety is the first priority.
Crashes on the road are alarming and disorienting which can cause confusion and poor choices, especially when your adrenaline is pumping. It is important to remain calm and make safety your first priority. Far more important than the damage to your vehicle is your safety and that of your passengers. Vehicles are easily replaced but you are not.
Move to a safe place
The importance of this step cannot be overstated. Numerous motorists die every year after minor collisions because they got out their car to check the damage before moving to a safe place. Highways and interstates are the most dangerous places to be after a wreck. Pulling off to the side of the road is critical. Ideally, drivers should completely exit onto surface streets and pull into a parking lot or gas station. If your vehicle is completely disabled and unable to move from the roadway, most experts recommend staying in your vehicle with your seat belt fastened. Stopping in the roadway after a crash is not only dangerous, but against the law in Georgia. Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-275, vehicles involved in collisions must be moved out of traffic lanes unless the collision resulted in serious injury or death. This is not only safer for you and your passengers, but for everyone else on the road. Other drivers may not expect another vehicle to be stopped in the road which could cause a secondary collision.
Call 911
After getting yourself and your passengers to a safe place, call 911 to get police to the scene and an ambulance if needed. Emergency services can take a long time to reach the scene, so getting them on their way to you quickly is important. Obtaining a police report is highly recommended as it provides documentation as to what happened and who the responding officer deems at-fault. Not obtaining a police report can be a costly mistake. People change their stories after leaving the scene, may not have valid liability insurance, or may give you false contact information. Not only is obtaining a police report a good way to protect yourself but, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273, it is required to report collisions to law enforcement when there is an injury, death, or property damage of $500 or more. These requirements will include most collisions as even minor repairs frequently exceed $500. Obtaining a police report satisfies the reporting requirement.
Collect information
Information is critical. Collect the names and contact information of everyone involved including both drivers and passengers, and any witnesses in the area. Although the responding officer will obtain the other driver’s information, at-fault drivers do not always remain at the scene. This is especially true with witnesses, as they have no obligation to wait for law enforcement. Photos are incredibly useful as well. Get pictures of your vehicle and any other vehicles involved including the tag or license plate, the orientation of the vehicles, where the collision occurred, and any visible injuries. It may be tempting to zoom in on the damage, but wide-angle photos are the most important as they provide more context. Once you have captured the broad view, you can narrow in on the details. Remember, your safety still comes first. Do not put yourself in danger to take pictures. If the other driver is hostile, don’t worry about getting their information and move away from them to a safe position.
Call a personal injury attorney.
An experienced personal injury attorney can guide you through the next steps. It is highly recommended to speak to an attorney before calling the insurance company, even your own. Insurance companies collect information, not to support paying your claim, but to justify not paying your claim. A personal injury attorney can advise you on what you are required to provide and what you are not required to provide. Insurance companies may try to settle cases quickly. This is a relief to many people after a car wreck, but the settlement is usually premature, before the complete extent of damages is known. Those who settle early are often surprised, to their dismay, that there is no going back for compensation for newly discovered damages after a claim has been settled. This is a common tactic used by insurance companies to resolve claims quickly and cheaply at the expense of the injured party.
Use the contact form here — to request a complimentary crash card in case you are involved in a collision.
