Preventing accidents and mishaps on the roadway is one of the primary goals of driver training. When drivers are able to confidently and safely operate their vehicle, the risk of being involved in an accident can be significantly lessened - but hey - we’re all human, and accidents can happen. Knowing what to do if you’re involved in an accident is crucial to dealing with the matter in a calm, collected, and responsible manner.
If there’s someone hurt on the scene or you’ve had to assist in helping those around you, remembering the correct procedure may be difficult. Being educated on the right steps to take after an accident will help to maintain calm during the situation, assist others involved, and preserve evidence.
OBSERVE & Stay at the Scene
First things first, safety should be your first concern. Accidents can take place on a quiet side street, the middle of an intersection, or on a busy highway. Before you exit your vehicle, take a few moments to calm your nerves and assess the scene around you. Are there vehicles trying to manuever around you? Are there pedestrians or any other hazards around? Once you have assessed and confirmed that it will be safe for you to exit the vehicle, then you can get out and further assess the accident scene.
Second to safety, staying at the scene is vitally important. The Motor Vehicle Safety Act of BC states definitively that any driver or vehicle operator involved in an accident must remain at, or immediately return to the scene of an accident.
This is so important to the process of dealing with an accident because it helps defuse the situation, and allows drivers to give reasonable assistance to those affected. When you take off from the scene, you’re not only eligible to be charged under section 252 of the Canadian Criminal Code for failing to remain at the scene of an accident, but you’re also contributing to the chaos and stress of the situation.
It’s easy to feel the responsibility to stay at the scene when there’s been an accident involving people, and where we feel we have contributed to the injury of others. It might be a little easier to leave the scene if it’s only a minor fender-bender in a parking lot, but if you happen to scrape, or bump into another vehicle, unattended or otherwise, you still have responsibility to remain at the scene or make reasonable attempts to locate or notify the other driver. This means providing your valid contact info and insurance information.
Things will run more smoothly if you stay put! You will be able to help lessen the impact of your actions and/or the other drivers, and the entire ordeal will be able to be dealt with in a much quicker fashion.
Call the Police
There’s a stigma that even if the accident should be your fault, the police are only there to press charges and make thing difficult but this is not the case. Police are trained to spot potential issues and complications, can handle speaking with the third party, and will fill out all the required info to file an accident report.
This is also important because the accident report is a chronological reference of the accident. Let’s imagine you have a personal injury that doesn’t manifest until you’ve been home for a few hours, or even a day or two after the accident. Without the evidence of an accident report, it may be very difficult to file a claim or press charges down the line.
Check for Injury
Once first responders are on the way - check yourself, your passengers, occupants of the other vehicles, and any other road users that were involved. Both minor and major injuries should be noted, as these injuries could become more or less serious and police and insurance providers will want this information for their files. Some injuries may not be immediately evident, so be sure to visit the doctor or hospital if necessary if you feel unwell or any pain in the days following the accident.
CLEAR THE WAY
If you are involved in a minor accident, or "fender-bender", and your vehicles are still in a driveable condition, do your best to move out of the way of traffic. Pulling over to the side of the road is a great start, but finding a less busy street or a nearby parking lot is even better. Before you move your vehicles to a safer spot to collect information be sure to take photos of the incident scene. You'll want to do this in case the other driver leaves for good or just in case of the cars receiving more damage on their way to a safer spot. Try and agree with the other driver on a spot close-by, for convenience and safety.
Get Everyone’s Information
It’s paramount to collect valid contact information from everyone involved in the accident. This is also required under the BC Motor Vehicle Act, citing a requirement to provide upon request:
- drivers name and address,
- name and address of the registered owner of the vehicle,
- licence plate number and origin of the vehicle (province or state), and
- particulars of the motor vehicle liability insurance card or financial responsibility card for that vehicle, or such of that information as is requested.
Without this information, trying to file a claim to an insurance company for damages is going to be difficult and it will also prevent police from filing a complete report. It’s also critical to ensure you carry any and all required identification and valid insurance documentation when you’re driving - just in case you have to provide it in the event of an accident.
Verify that Info
ICBC recommends that once this information is received, take a moment to validate and verify the info you’ve been given. Giving false information is also punishable under the criminal code.
Police will also take information and validate its accuracy, but should you be in a rural location where police are unable to immediately arrive, it’s a good idea to do this yourself while you exchange information with the other driver.
Witnesses
Do your best to identify and speak with any witnesses to the accident that are nearby. Their statements or recollection of the accident may be beneficial to a claim or a court hearing, should there be some type of discrepancy between you and the other driver.
Take down their names and contact information so they may be contacted later should the need arise.
Write Down All Accident Details
It’s important to limit discussion about the accident with the other driver at the scene. Emotions and tempers may be running high already, and it’s best to discuss the specifics of the accident with the police instead. While you’re in a state of shock, you may accidentally admit fault or liability for the accident, and this could prove detrimental to an insurance claim or court case, despite your state of shock. Wait for the police to discuss the accident in detail.
Begin to take down any specifics of how to recall the events leading up to the accident. Write down the specifics of the cars involved, make and model, where any visible damage is, injuries, your location, etc. With the presence of smartphones these days, you can proactively use your phone’s camera to take photographs of the accident scene to validate any statements you or the other driver may give the police that appear in the accident report. This is also useful should you need to dispute any statements given by the other driver.
Also, take down some information about the other driver. Write down their physical appearance and be sure to make note of their state. If distracted or impaired driving may be involved, take those details down so you can relay them to the police officer once they arrive.
CONTACT ICBC AND INSURANCE PROVIDER
Reporting the accident to ICBC can be down afterwards, once you have finished at the accident scene and you are back home. You can report a claim online or by phone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dial-A-Claim can be called at 1-800-910-4222 or you can enter it online. In addition to the information that we mentioned above, providing the following could result in a faster processing time for your claim:
- Name and address of an ICBC accredited repair facility
- Police file number (if applicable)
- Any injuries (from all parties involved)
ICBC or your insurance provider will help arrange the repair estimate and repairs for your vehicle. In the unfortunate case of injury, ICBC or your insurance provider will also guide you with the procedures for ongoing medical appointments. ICBC will guide you through all of these processes as well as answer any questions that you may have about your claim or what you need to do. In many cases, your claim can be processed in as little as a few days.
---
If you are involved in an automobile accident, often the shock and adrenaline associated with the crash is enough to get in the way of making logical, rational decisions. Taking these steps is the first line of defense in protecting yourself and others. Remember that each accident is going to be different and there may be more or different things that ICBC or the police will require from you. Check in with them both to make sure you have followed all the necessary steps and if there is anything else you need to do.
We all make mistakes sometimes, but it’s how we choose to educate ourselves and deal with those mistakes that helps us move forward as safe and confident drivers. Stay safe out there!