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Be Prepared for Accidents with a Car Accident Checklist

2 Mins read

No one ever plans to be in an accident., Most of us are ill-prepared for what to do following an accident. With a little pre-planning, you can be a bit more prepared for an accident. Fortunately, today with access to mobile phones with cameras, we can take photos of important images, like a license plate, VINs, and photos of the accident scene and damage to vehicles and personal property.

Be Prepared

It is always good to be prepared before you need to be. This is certainly the case with auto accidents when adrenaline and anxiety may take over. The best thing to do is create a car accident checklist and keep it in your glove box, so it will be handy if the time comes that you need it.

There are many car accident checklists on the internet that will serve as a reminder of what you need to do in an accident. These are helpful ways to make sure you have all the pertinent information you will need to complete an accident report and for insurance purposes.

This information will be important in the case of a serious accident, where there are injuries to the driver or passengers. In the most extreme situations, they may not be responsive or able to communicate and may not be helpful when it comes to remembering crucial facts of the accident.

Create a Checklist

According to Nerdwallet.com, being prepared for an accident, before it happens, can save you time and money, and a lot less anxiety following the accident.

It may be common sense, but before you do anything else, you need to check on the condition of the passengers in all vehicles involved to make sure that the injured parties get medical care as soon as possible. In all cases, this is the priority.

Whether you download a checklist from the internet or create your own, these are the items that should be included.

Auto Accident Checklist:

In the case of an accident, you may not be able to complete everything on the list, but the more information you can garner, the better the outcome for you.

  • Seek medical care for the injured
  • Physically move to a safe location
  • Call 911 to report the accident
  • Call your insurance company
  • Request a tow, if needed
  • Get the names and insurance of all drivers involved
  • Get the information for any witnesses
  • Provide your name and insurance information to the other drivers
    • Only provide your name, vehicle information, name and contact for the insurance company, and policy number.
    • Do not allow others to take pictures of your license or registration
    • Do not give your address to others at the scene
  • Get the license plate number
  • Record damage to yours and the other vehicle
  • Photograph any property damage
  • Fill out an accident report
  • Make a note of any traffic signals
  • Record the date and time of the accident, weather, and traffic conditions
  • Describe what happened to cause the accident
  • Describe injuries and damage

If you are in an accident, having a car accident checklist will help you remember the crucial facts about the accident. It can be a helpful resource in the days and months following the accident.