Why You Should Always Call the Police After a Car Accident

• Medical Care

In the case of a serious injury accident, medical care will be the first thing you need. Police are likely to be the first to arrive on the scene, and they will often be able to provide basic medical care for anyone who is injured. Furthermore, they can clear out an area for the ambulance to park and help the EMTs move any injured people to the ambulance.

Police are an important part of getting the medical treatment process started. That is one reason why it can be so necessary to bring them onto the scene in the aftermath of a serious accident, when time can be precious.

• Protecting the Scene of the Accident

In the case of severe accidents, the police will block off the area around the crash. Police can block off the road, or at least some section of it, ensuring the area is free of traffic while they conduct their investigation and other emergency personnel clear the area.

This can create a safe environment for you to talk to not only the police, but also the other driver(s) and any witnesses who may be on the scene. The time immediately following the accident can be crucial for gathering information and letting the police know your side of the events leading up to the crash.

• Investigating the Cause of the Accident

After the accident, you’re going to want trained professionals to evaluate the cause of what happened. This will be of primary importance when and if you file an insurance claim or bring the other driver to court.

Police may gather witness reports, collect information on the parties involved in an accident, and test to see whether the other driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you suspect that the other driver is under the influence, roadside tests can help to confirm this suspicion. This can be another major reason to call the police to the scene.

• Police Report

The most important reason to get the police onto the scene of the accident is because they need to prepare a report. This document will be extremely important, especially if you plan on bringing the other driver to court. The police report will include an assessment of the cause of the accident and the damage done in the crash.

Some time after the accident, you may want to get a copy of the police report, especially if you plan on taking legal action. Make sure you take down the name and badge number of the police officer filing the report and the agency he or she represents before you leave the scene.

Even after a minor accident, you should call the police. If there are no injuries and only minor damage to the vehicles, the police may or may not come to prepare a report.

If the police do not come to the scene, make sure you collect the following information from the other driver, at a minimum: name, address, telephone number, name of insurance company, policy number, name and contact information for their insurance representative, and license plate number (along with the state it’s registered in).

This information will be crucial in filing a claim or pursuing legal action.