The car ahead of you schreeches to a halt… you slam on your breaks and lightly bump the car in front of you. Moments later a third car sails full speed into your back bumper… now what?

When involved in an accident there are a few things to remember:

1. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT LEAVE THE SCENE. There are strict and heavy penalties for leaving the scene of an accident.

2. Make sure the accident scene is safe. Before exiting your car ensure there is no oncoming traffic or other dangerous obstacles.

3. After checking that everyone involved is safe, get as much information as you can from the other driver(s). Obtain their insurance and license information, address, and phone number at minimum.

4.Contact the police. File a report but do not admit fault. Even if you think you were at fault, you may be in shock and still not realized everything that happened.

5. If you have a camera phone or digital camera take a few pictures. Document the damages to both vehicles before the cars are driven or towed away.

6. Report the accident to your insurance company. Include as much information when filing your claim as possible. Relay the time, location, the other drivers information, accident details, and anything else you can remember from the scene to your insurance company.

The most important part of being in an accident is the safety of yourself and other driver(s)/ passenger(s). Before proceeding with the formalities of exchanging information and filing a report, it may be more important to call an ambulance. Drive safely, and if you are involved in an accident stay calm, with a level head you’ll be able to handle the situation.