In most cases, you want to leave your car where it is until the police arrive. However, car crashes often happen at high speeds on highways or in bad weather conditions, and since you do not want to be part of another crash, you should get yourself and you passengers to as safe a place in the immediate vicinity of the crash site while you wait on the police or ambulance to arrive.

Call 911 and require a police crash report. The reports were call Accident Reports, but are now called “Traffic Crash Reports.” Do not leave the scene of a crash without notifying the police. If you leave the crash scene without reporting it to the police that is a traffic offense, and you can be cited with a traffic violation. If the police arrive and do not want to write up a crash report, insist that they properly document the crash, especially if there are injuries to you or your passengers.

Immediately seek medical attention and take an ambulance if given the opportunity. In many cases, you are in shock after the crash, disoriented, and might not feel that you need medical attention. It is always a good idea to seek medical attention as soon as you can, especially if you have a concussion or other serious injury. Your health, the health of others, and everyone’s safety is the utmost concern so consider that first and then the steps below.

Get the business card of investigating police officer (with the phone number and email) and get the police report case number as well. Although we can usually get the case number at a later time, it speeds up the process in getting the crash report, police body camera video, witness statements, 911 recordings, and scene photos when you have the case number or an exchange of information card.

Obtain the names, phone numbers and contact information of all witnesses or have them text or email you their contact information. Many times, the police do not get the names of all the witnesses.