What To Do After A Car Accident:

If you are injured, call 911 or ask someone if you are incapable. If you’re seriously injured, try not to move and wait for emergency personnel.

If you’re not too hurt to move, check on the well-being of the other passengers in your car. If anyone is injured, get on the phone with emergency services or ask a bystander of the accident to call for help.

If you’re able to, try moving to the side of the road or a sidewalk. If your car is safe enough to drive and is causing a hazard where it currently is, steer it to the side of the road. If not, leave it where it is and focus on getting yourself and your passengers to safety.

Whether an accident is considered a minor fender-bender or a major collision, calling the police is important — and in some states, it’s legally required. The responding officers will fill out an accident report and document the scene where the accident took place.  If the police aren’t able come to the scene of the accident, you can go to the nearest police station and complete a report yourself.  When you file a claim with your insurer, they may ask for a copy of the police report to help with the claims process.

Turn on your hazard lights, turn off your engine, and use any road flares in your emergency car kit to warn other vehicles to slow down.

After making sure you and any passengers are uninjured, exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. Here are some of the most important details drivers should exchange after an accident:

• Full name and contact information
• Insurance company and policy number
• Driver’s license and license plate number
• Type, color, and model of vehicle
• Location of accident

You should avoid discussing fault when going over the facts with the other driver. When you file an insurance claim, the adjuster reviewing your claim will determine who’s at fault based on an inspection of the vehicles and/or property damaged, information provided by you and the other parties involved in the accident, and any supporting documentation, like the police report or photographs from the scene.

In order to help protect yourself, please consider taking the following steps:

• Identify the officers.
  Once the police arrive, get the name and badge number of all responding officers.
• Get a copy.
  Ask the police officers present where you can obtain a copy of the accident report. Your insurer may ask for a copy of the report when you file a car insurance claim.
• Take pictures.
  Document the accident thoroughly by taking pictures of your vehicle from different angles, showing the damage done to both cars. It might also be a good idea to take pictures of the other car’s license plate. You may be able to share photos with your insurer during the claims process to help support your claim.
• Take down names.
  Write down the names and addresses of all parties involved, including any passengers in the other vehicle.
• Talk to witnesses.
  If there were any witnesses to the accident, take down their names and their contact information as well.

To help keep all of this documentation in order, you can keep this accident information page in your vehicle.

You may want to call your Toyota Certified Collision Center after the accident. That way, they can tell you exactly what they will need to in order to get you back on the road.  Schedule collision service today!

An accident can leave even the most seasoned driver frazzled, but following these steps may help protect you from unnecessary worries. That way, you can focus on working with your insurance company to get your vehicle repaired as smoothly and as quickly as possible.