Car Accident Guidelines

 Posted on September 26, 2013 in Personal Injury

Hundreds of car accidents, both minor and fatal, take place every day here in the state of Illinois.  If you have had the misfortune of being involved in one of these accidents, there are a few guidelines from the Illinois DMV that you should follow once you’re sure everybody is safe.

If somebody involved in the accident is injured badly and needs help, attend to them first.  Cover them with a blanket or jacket to help ensure they do not go into shock, but do not move them unless absolutely necessary, as it could only cause more damage.  Call 911.

Once the injured are taken care of, turn to exchanging information with the other parties involved.  The Illinois DMV suggests collecting the following information:

• names of those involved
• addresses of those involved
• insurance information of those involved
• driver’s license number of those involved
• license plate numbers of involved vehicles
• vehicle descriptions for all vehicles involved in the accident
• names and phone numbers of any witnesses there may be

If the accident you were involved in lead to a death, bodily injury, or over $1,500 of property damage, you will be required to file a crash report.  You can do this with the Illinois Department of Transportation, and it must be done no later than 10 days after your accident. If for some reason you fail to file a report, you will face some pretty serious consequences.  It’s very possible that you could face a $2,500 fine or even up to a year in jail.  These penalties become more serious if you are involved in an auto accident and choose to flee the scene, thus making you a hit-and-run-driver.

Car accidents are scary, stressful situations no matter how much damage is caused. No matter the circumstances, it is important that you remain calm and follow the required guidelines if you have been involved in an accident.  It may seem trivial at the moment, but failing to do so may cause more trouble in the long run.  If you have any questions about what to do after an accident or how to file a crash report, don’t hesitate to contact an Illinois personal injury attorney.