• Don't leave the scene. If vehicles are operable, move them to the shoulder, out of the way of oncoming traffic
• Call for medical assistance if there are any injuries. Provide basic first aid, but don't move an injured person unless you possess medical or lifesaving expertise
• In many areas, you have to call the police
• Get the officer's name, badge number, police station address, and phone number. Ask when the accident report will be filed, its case and report number, and how you can get a copy
• Take careful note of the date and time of the accident, the street and city, weather and road conditions, direction and speed you and other drivers were going, and how the accident occurred.

Know your insurance coverage

• Bodily injury liability: Pays your legal defense costs and claims against you if you injure someone in an accident. Covers family members with you and others driving with your permission
• Rental car reimbursement: Pays for your rental car while your car is being repaired
• Collision: Pays for repairs of damage to your car caused by a collision with another vehicle or any other object, regardless of who was responsible
• Comprehensive physical damage: Pays for damage to your car resulting from theft, fire, vandalism, or a variety of other causes
• Medical payments: Pays medical expenses for you and others riding in your car. Also pays if you or your family members are injured while riding in another's car
• Property damage liability: Pays your legal defense costs and claims against you if your car damages someone else's property.

What you need in your glove compartment

• Always carry your insurance card and vehicle registration
• Keep a list of emergency numbers in the glove compartment at all times
• Keep a medical card with you if you have allergies to any medicine or you have a condition that requires special attention
• Visit http://www.accidentprep.com for an online accident information form which you can print, place in your car, and fill out in the event of an accident.

Rental cars can come cheap

• Check your insurance policy or call your agent to see if you have rental car reimbursement coverage.
• For an average of $1 to $2 per month, rental car reimbursement will pay for the cost of renting a car after an accident while your vehicle's in the repair shop
• If the accident is not your fault, the other party's insurance company may provide you with rental car reimbursement
• Find out if the rental car agency can bill the insurer directly so you don't have to pay out-of-pocket at the time of rental.

Source: National Association of Chiefs of Police
Last updated April 19, 1999

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