Portland injury attorney

4 Tips for Surviving a Minor Car Crash

Portland Car Accident Injury Lawyer

Car accidents can be life-changing and scary. Getting into our cars to drive is one of the riskiest decisions we make each day without even realizing it. Nearly 1.3 million people die each year in road crashes averaging about 3,287 deaths a day.

Follow the proper steps after a car accident occurs to ensure you have all the information and evidence you need.

  1. Move to a safe spot. If it is possible to move the vehicles involved in a car accident to a safe location then this is the right place to start. Blocking the road can increase the chances of causing another accident. Some may think it will disturb the evidence if you move the vehicles, but that is not true. Police or emergency responders, will want you to move the vehicles anyways.
  2. Call emergency medical service. Safety is the top priority after an accident. Having an emergency/first aid kit in your car can be helpful in situations with very minor injuries. In the event that no one is able to assist with first aid, call 911 right away.
  3. Call the police. Sometimes one of the parties may not have insurance or someone won’t want to get the police involved. You should always call the police to report an accident and failure to report an accident to law enforcement when required to do so may result in a citation.

Requirements for reporting your accident to law enforcement and the DMV are:

  • Damage to the vehicle you were driving is over $1,500
  • Damage to any vehicle is over $1,500 and any vehicle is towed from the scene as a result of damages form this accident
  • Injury or death resulted from this accident
  • Damages to any one person’s property other than a vehicle involved in this accident is over $1,500.

4. Gather information and evidence. Police will ask for this evidence when you report the accident and it is also for your own records, insurance company and possible a lawyer. Get the other party’s name, address, phone number, insurance information and driver’s license number. Write down the make and model of their vehicle and take photos and videos of what happened and any damage to the vehicles.

Hopefully you will not find yourself in this situation, but it is important to always be prepared with how to take action. Contact your Portland personal injury lawyer with any other questions you may have.