What To Do If You Witness a Collision
By Pyle Law, October 10 2022 5:15 pmWhen we see a car accident, we usually respond in two ways. A majority of us will watch the damage as we continue to drive. But some of us will pull over and ensure everyone involved is okay.
As a witness of a car accident, there are ways that you can help the victims. Here are some steps that you can take. Speak to a car accident attorney at Pyle Law today.
If you are driving and witness a car accident, make sure to pull over to a safe location. You don’t want to pull over too close to the scene of the accident in case there’s any debris that can damage your car.
Because of this, make sure to park at least 100 feet from the accident scene. You also don’t want to immediately exit your car if it is not safe to do so. Make sure that the scene of the accident is safe before you begin to give help.
Once you know it’s safe, you want to ensure that the accident’s victims are okay. One question that you want to ask is if 911 has been called. You don’t want to automatically assume emergency services are on their way.
You want to offer help as much as you can. But one action you don’t want to take is moving an injured person. Even though you mean well, you could be making their injury worse.
You also want to help both parties in the accident. You don’t want to decide who was at fault or blame one driver over the other.
If the police have been called, offer to give a witness statement. One or both victims may decide to take legal action. When that happens, they may ask for information like witness statements to include in their claims.
You want to give your contact information to the police and both victims. You can also give any relevant information to the police to include in their report.
If possible, you also want to ensure that both cars do not remain a hazard for others. You can ask the drivers to park their cars and ensure the engines are turned off. This can prevent the cars from being set on fire. Chances are other fuels have leaked from your car, and it’s a greater chance that a fire will happen.
If the cars are in the middle of the highway, help the drivers move their cars out of harm’s way. If the cars can’t be moved, offer to set up flares or some other warning sign that can help drivers avoid the accident.
At Pyle Law, we have the reputation of passionately representing our clients against insurance companies following car accidents. Let our Kansas auto accident lawyer guide you through the process against the insurance company from start to finish. Contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
