If you are involved in an accident, it is important that you try to maintain calm and get control over the situation. The information you gather at the scene can be very helpful to you in the future when trying to deal with insurance and pay for damages or medical bills. It will also help you when making a report with law enforcement.
USA Today recommends at least getting the license plate information if you cannot get anything else. However, you should try to get full information on the vehicle, including make, model and color. It is also important to get the driver’s information. Get his or her name, address, phone number and insurance details.
It is a good idea to take photos if you can of the vehicles. This can provide you a lot of information just in case you forget to write some details down or do not have a way to write anything down. If there are witnesses, you should also speak with them. Get their names and contact information. You may want to write down what they saw as well. Don’t forget to ask people in nearby businesses if they saw the accident. It may help to have multiple witnesses.
If you are having trouble getting information from the other driver or the other driver is not being cooperative, you should call law enforcement. Typically, they do not respond to non-injury accidents, but if you feel unsafe, they should respond. This information is for educational purposes and is not intended as legal advice.
