If you are involved in an accident, you (driver) will be the first company representative on the scene. Your quick and professional actions will protect you and others involved.
If you are involved in an accident, you (driver) will be the first company representative on the scene. Your quick and professional actions will protect you, any others involved, and your company.
In any safety effort, the priority is protecting PEOPLE.
- Protect yourself so that you can assist others and protect them.
- Stop your vehicle and turn on your emergency flashers, and do not move the vehicle until the police arrive.
- Set your emergency warning signals and protect the scene.
- Stay at the scene, be polite and courteous but do not admit fault or apologize.
Cooperate with law enforcement at the scene and provide them and the others involved with your name and address, the company name and address, and insurance information.
Complete the accident report information. Get the information on all the other people involved in the accident and if they have been taken to a hospital get the name of the hospital. Get vehicle information on all vehicles involved. Get names, addresses, and phone numbers of any witnesses and the license plate number of any cars in the area of the accident. Get the officers' name, badge number, and organization and report number if available.
Complete all of the information on the Accident/Incident Report Form.
Diagram the scene, showing the direction of travel of each vehicle, the final resting place of each vehicle after the collision, and any distinguishing landmarks at the scene.
If the other driver admits, fault has him sign Exoneration Form.
Photograph the scene
In accident investigation, “a picture is worth 100,000 words” and many times is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in claim handling.
- Photograph the roadway from all angles, move back along the road and photograph from your approach, and then from the other vehicle’s approach to the scene.
- Photograph all vehicles, preferably before they are moved. Take photos of all four sides of each vehicle.
- If anyone at the scene is taking photographs to get their name and/or tag number.
- If the media is present, get the name of the organization and their address.
- Use the flash in any period of reduced lighting.
- Make no statements to anyone regarding liability or who is a fault in the accident.
- Do not sign anything regarding responsibility for the accident.
- Discuss the accident only with the investigating officer or a company representative.