Courtsey TD Insurance

Laws vary across the country when it comes to a driver’s responsibility after an accident. But for the most part, following these smart tips will help you get through the situation.

Stay put
Leaving the scene of an accident is never a good idea, and it’s also against the law! Severe penalties await the driver who flees the scene of an accident.

Remain calm

Getting angry or upset isn’t going to help anyone. This is the time to assess the situation. Check for injuries and deal with them first; call 911 if necessary.

Make sure you are safe

Before exiting your car after a collision, check for other traffic on the roadway. The last thing you want to do is step out of your car into the path of a moving vehicle. Turn on your hazard lights and consider setting up reflective triangles or road flares to warn other drivers. Don’t use flares if there is spilled gasoline on the road. Remain in your car with your seatbelt fastened until the authorities arrive.

Move your car — maybe

Some provinces require that cars involved in a collision stay put until a police officer arrives. Other provinces expect you to move your vehicles from the roadway unless someone is injured or the vehicle damage is too severe. Check with the CAA or your insurance agent to find out what your province requires. If you move your car before the police arrive, note the position of the cars after impact — take pictures if you can, or draw diagrams.

Call the police

When to call the police differs from province to province as well. If anyone is injured or if the damage to property is estimated to be over an amount set by your province, you must call the police. Contact local authorities or your insurance company for the limit set in your province.

Get complete driver info

Even with minor fender-benders, it’s a good idea to get the other driver’s contact information. All drivers involved in the collision should exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance companies and policy numbers. Get the license plate numbers of all vehicles involved, plus the make, model and year. Once police arrive, they will be able to provide you with a driver-information exchange form.

Get general info

Immediately after you take care of personal injuries, begin to gather as much information as you can. Make a note of the date and time of the collision, the exact location, weather and road conditions at the time of the collision, street lighting or lack of it, and any other information (such as the speed at which you were driving) that might be important for the police report. Even a hand-drawn diagram will help explain circumstances to the authorities.

Get witnesses

Witnesses can be important if your collision case winds up in court or if the other driver disputes your version of events in the police report. Try to get the names and phone numbers of any bystanders who saw what happened.

Call your insurance company

Call your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident. A representative will guide you through the steps to file a complete claim, and provide you with information on how best to have your vehicle repaired. Working with your insurance company will speed up repair work and completion of your claim.

Submit a report

Even if you don’t need to call the police, you must still file an accident report within a certain number of days. (Again, check with your local authorities.) If you don’t, the province has the authority to suspend your license. Reports are available from your police station or auto insurance company.

Hope it helps everyone......!!

Good information here.

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