Even fender benders can be upsetting and affect our ability to think clearly. Consider keeping a copy of this checklist in your glove compartment so you can follow it if you are involved in any kind of accident.

1. Pull off the road. Do this as soon as it is safe and put on your emergency flashers. If you can’t pull off, turn on your emergency flashers.

2. Check for injuries. Check yourself first, then see if anyone else is injured. Call 911 for paramedics, if needed.

3. Call police. Even in a minor accident, if property has been damaged, you may need a police report to file an insurance claim.

4. Exchange information. As you collect this information, give the other driver the same details about yourself:

• Name, address, and phone number of the other driver. Take down work as well as home phone.
• License plate number and driver’s license number.
• Insurance company’s name, address, and the policy number (ask to see the card to verify this information).
• Make, model, year, and color of the other car.
• Names, addresses, and phone numbers of other passengers.

5. Look for witnesses. Ask for their names and home and work phone numbers.

6. Get copy of police report. If police do come to the scene and write up an accident report, ask for a copy of it. Also write down names and badge numbers of any police on the scene, whether or not they file an accident report.

7. Make notes on the accident. Before you leave the scene, do the best you can to draw a diagram of what happened and write down every detail of how the accident occurred. If you have a camera in the car, take pictures of the vehicles’ positions and take close-ups of damage to each vehicle.

8. Do not admit fault. No matter what you think happened, don’t admit fault and never sign anything at the scene.

9. Call your insurance agent. Do this as soon as you get home; many companies have a twenty-four-hour number for reporting accidents. The agent will tell you what you should do next