Should You Call Police After a Car Accident?

When a car accident occurs, your first thoughts will be for the safety of everyone involved. After that, you might be worried about insurance claims and who was at fault for the accident. Even experienced drivers may be unsure if they should call the police or exchange information with the other driver.

What happens after a car accident can depend on state reporting laws. Some states require reporting any accident, but others require reporting any accidents where there are serious injuries. Knowing what to do after an accident can help relieve some of the situation’s stress. Contact a local car accident attorney for legal advice about what to do.

When Should You Call 911 After an Accident?

If anyone is seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident and needs medical care, call 911 for an ambulance. Different states have different legal requirements about whether you must call 911 from the scene of a car crash. This generally depends on the extent of the damage. For example, in some states, you only have to call the police if the auto accident involves:

• Property damage over a certain value
• Serious bodily injury or death
• Vehicle damage so bad a car is undrivable
• A driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• An uninsured or unlicensed driver

With some minor fender-benders, it might appear simple to sort it out without the police. With some minor accidents, the police won’t even show up to do an investigation. But state law may still require drivers to report the collision to law enforcement.

Police Investigations After a Car Accident

If you call the police and they come to the scene of the accident, they will make a police report about the accident. This will contain the different parties’ versions of what happened and the police officer’s assessment of the accident. You should request a copy of the police report because it will be important for your insurance claim.

If the police do not come to the accident scene, you can still report the accident to the police or other relevant state or local agency by giving information about the accident, your details, and the contact information of anyone else involved. Before you leave an accident scene, make sure you get information from the other driver, including:

• Contact details and phone numbers
• License plate number
• Driver’s license number
• Insurance details

What Happens if You Don’t Report an Accident?

Reporting a car accident to law enforcement can protect your rights if something goes wrong. But failing to report a car accident can present more problems.

Criminal Charges for a Hit-and-Run

If you are involved in an accident with a parked car or cause other property damage, you may be required to provide contact information to the property owner. If you leave without sharing your information or fail to report the accident to the police, you could face criminal charges for being a hit-and-run driver, even if you were not responsible for the accident.

Surprise Injury Claim

After a minor car accident, the drivers may agree that there was not much damage, and there is no need to call the police or make an auto accident report. But if you leave the scene, the other driver could claim you caused serious injuries and property damage. Reporting an accident to the police can help avoid false claims of vehicle damage and injuries.

Denied Coverage by Your Insurance

Most car insurance policies require drivers to report accidents as soon as possible. Any delays could cause problems with the auto insurance claims process. If you never report the accident, the insurance adjuster may doubt whether your injuries came from a covered traffic accident. Without any evidence, crash reports, or information about the other driver, the insurance company may try to deny your claim.

If you’re unsure what to do, err on the side of caution and report the accident to protect yourself and for any personal injury claims against the other driver. Contact a personal injury lawyer for more information about your case.