Motor Vehicle Accidents Arizona

Motor vehicle accidents are responsible for many avoidable injuries and fatalities each and every year. According to current statistics, car accidents kill over 1 million people annually. Even worse, motor vehicle accidents are believed to be responsible for 40 million injuries annually. Many such occurrences can be avoided if drivers learn to drive with safety in mind at all times.

While the initial accident is clearly upsetting, many people are at a loss when it comes time to handle the situation long after the accident. Police reports, paperwork, on top of the recovery process if injuries are involved can max the most tolerant person’s patience. When it comes to handling such situations, knowledge is true power: if one in Arizona understands the process of accidents, both before and after, they will be able to make it through a rough ordeal relatively unscathed.

What does a driver in Arizona need to know about motor vehicle accidents? Can knowledge be helpful at all when it comes to an accident or should the driver merely hope for the best? After recovery from an injury, what happens next? First and foremost the driver can benefit from learning how to avoid accidents in the first place. Secondly, a driver in Arizona should be aware of the legal ramifications that can follow an accident. Third, a thorough understanding of one’s insurance policy is a must—knowing precisely what a policy will cover and what it will not will put the driver in a better planning position in terms of determining how to handle the situation. Essentially, understanding all of the policies and regulations can put the driver in a position of advantage: if the driver knows exactly what to do following an accident there will be fewer hassles to deal with and less stress on the driver and/or the driver’s family.

So you find that you have been in an accident. What happens at the scene? What should you do or not do? Is there a set way to handle the situation? There is indeed common way to deal with an accident and it is helpful if the driver knows what to expect.

First and foremost, even if you are physically capable of doing so, never leave the scene of an accident. It is imperative that the police in Arizona are called in, as an objective witness to the event, so that they can make sure that there is no criminal activity involved and document the event. If a driver asks you to not call the police or if they ask if they can just give you some money or handle the issue privately, consider the offer suspect. Also, never drive off the scene just because a driver said it was okay and to just forget it ever happened; chances are they won’t. Not only do some injuries take 24 or more hours to become noticed by the injured, some people are out to scam another for as much money as they can. You can wind up accused of a hit and run and having left the scene, you’ll automatically appear guilty. Rule number one for car accidents then is: never leave the scene until after the police have advised you to do so.

In the interim, while waiting for the police to arrive, calm yourself down. No one is going to handle anything efficiently if they are screaming at each other or if they are overly upset. Take out a pen and a paper and write down everything you can remember about how the accident occurred. Immediately write down the license plate number of the other vehicles involved in the accident, also noting the color and model of the cars (this is important, especially if someone refuses to give you insurance information).

When it comes time to finally exchange insurance information with other drivers, make sure that you thoroughly document all of the information given to you. You will need the names of the other drivers involved in the accident, the address, the insurance company’s name, the policy number and make an not of the effective dates of the policy (pay particular attention to whether or not the insurance card is expired or not). Request the driver’s name (because the driver may be different than the insured), get a copy of the license number, and verify their age.

Don’t approach witnesses at the scene because it could later be argued that you tried to persuade them to cover up events. Instead, if you happen to hear witnesses talking, make a note of what you hear and give the information to the police. Also make note if the other driver smelled of alcohol, and if there are any other signs of suspicious or criminal activity on behalf of the other driver’s involved.

After talking with the police be sure to get all the information you will need on how to go about getting a copy of the policy report. Many insurance companies require a copy of the report and often times, the victim can get a copy of the report faster than the company can. This will speed up the process of any insurance claims made.

Most importantly, even if you don’t believe that you are injured, go to the hospital and get checked out or make an emergency appointment with your general practitioner in Arizona immediately. Do not wait until the day after the accident—believe it or not you may be in shock and not realize that you have been seriously injured. If you do have injuries, get copies of documentation from the doctor or hospital verifying those injuries.

Waste no time reporting the accident to your insurance company. You can sometimes file a claim online, but you may find more comfort in speaking to a representative via telephone. Finally, put all of your documentation in a safe place so you know right where it is when it comes time to use it.