If you get into a car accident, you may be unsure of the steps you need to take next, especially if this is the first time you’ve been in this situation. Colorado has a varied climate, high-speed highways, and dangerous back roads, so getting into a crash may not be due to negligence or distractions, but someone who can’t control their vehicle still needs to account for one’s actions.
After you’ve been hit by another car, the first thing you should always do is make sure you’re physically okay and that your passengers are, too. Call for medical help if you need it. If possible, assist others in need of care. Check on the other driver and passengers, and report their conditions to the 911 dispatcher if you can. Calling for assistance will result in the police, fire department, and emergency medical team arriving on the scene in most cases, which is what you want. Everyone should be checked for injuries, even if they feel okay.
If everyone is okay to talk to the authorities, then you’ll need to let them know what happened from your point of view. Following this, it’s important to get the insurance information, phone numbers, and names of the others involved in this accident. If you have witnesses, make sure you get their information as well, as this could be vital to your case.
Your accident will be reported if an officer comes to the scene. It’s required for anyone in an accident to report it in the state of Colorado, but calling police to the scene satisfies that rule.
Source: DMV.org, “Accident Guide in Colorado” accessed Mar. 19, 2015
