Car accidents can feel overwhelming and stressful. However, proper documentation can help you deal with insurance companies and clarify what happened during the accident.
Therefore, it is important to stay calm and document the scene.
Contact and insurance information
After a car accident, gather contact information from everyone involved. This includes names, phone numbers, addresses and email addresses. Get the insurance company name, policy number and contact information for each driver.
Injuries
From January to June of 2023, there were 19,515 motor vehicle fatalities. If you are involved in an accident, try to document any injuries you and those in the accident received. If anyone perished, gather these details.
Vehicle details
Document the make, model, year, color and license plate numbers of all vehicles involved. Note any visible damage to each vehicle, including dents, scratches and broken parts. Take multiple photos from different angles.
Accident location
Record the exact location of the accident. Include the street name, intersections and landmarks. Write down and draw a simple diagram showing the positions of the vehicles at the time of the accident.
Note the weather and road conditions, as well. These details can help you understand the factors that contributed to the accident.
Witness statements
Gather witness contact information and ask for their statements. Write down their account of what they saw. Witnesses can help confirm the sequence of events and driver actions.
Police report
If the police respond to the accident, obtain the officers’ names and badge numbers. Be sure to ask for a copy of their police report or report number. The police report often includes important details and an official accident account.
Documenting these details makes managing the aftermath of a car accident easier. Proper documentation ensures that all necessary information is available for future reference.