Witnessing a car accident first-hand requires a calm, cool, and collected response under traumatic circumstances. Your course of action will largely depend on the severity of the crash and the extent of the injuries, but there are some general guidelines to keep in mind. By following these tips, you’ll be better prepared to help your fellow drivers until the professional emergency responders arrive.
Ensure Your Safety First
If you are driving when you spot a car crash, pull over to the side of the road at least 100 feet from the scene and put on your hazard lights. You want to give enough distance so you don’t put yourself in danger of broken glass, leaked fuel, or flames.
Call 911
Never assume that someone else already called 911. Even if the wreck doesn’t appear severe, the authorities should be notified. Let the 911 operator know you witnessed a car accident, the location, number of people involved, and any other pertinent details.
Check On The Victims
Once you’ve ensured that it’s safe to approach the scene, check on the condition of the crash victims to make sure they are okay and offer help, if you are able. While this can be an emotionally taxing time, try to stick to the facts and remember that this is not the time to assess who is at fault for the accident or make judgments on what the other driver must have been thinking. A good rule of thumb is to never admit fault at the scene. Unless there’s a risk of the vehicle catching fire, do not under any circumstances move an injured person. Despite your best intentions, you could accidentally make the injury worse. Let the trained medical professionals tend to the injuries, but you can provide comfort by reassuring victims that help is on the way.
Stabilize The Vehicles (If You Can)
If the accident is minor, ask the driver to put the impacted vehicle in “park” and turn off the ignition. This will eliminate the risk of fire, especially since chances are good that the crash has caused an oil, fuel or coolant leak. If it’s safe to do so, enlist help to move the car out of further harm’s way and to leave space for other vehicles and emergency responders. If that’s not possible, set up flares or traffic triangles to warn other drivers of the accident.
Give A Statement & Provide Your Contact Information
When the police arrive, provide the relevant facts and your contact information. In the days and weeks following the event, you may be contacted as a witness by legal and medical authorities and/or insurance claims agents. Be honest, factual, and consistent with your statements.
Car accidents can be upsetting for the victim and the bystander alike. The best way to deal with an accident is to stay on the scene and report what you’ve seen. Only exit your vehicle to render aid if it is safe to do so. Your clearheaded actions to safely assist or protect the victims until emergency assistance arrives can make an enormous difference in the overall outcome.
Being in an accident might be stressful, but GEICO Mobile makes the claims process easy. Download it today in the App Store or Google Play.
By Stephanie Levis
Anonymous says,
I would mind my own business because in this day and age, I would probably get sued for helping.
Gus Perez says,
Either if the 911 says ,no body injury, don’t need the assistence, better to get police report. many people cause the accident with no police report or witness ,can say was no my fault. My opinion get the report
Jeannette B. Williams says,
Thanks for your invaluable information !
larry ice says,
I like the article on actions to take if you view a traffic accident. Too many times around Atlanta I hear of someone doing something stupid and getting injured while trying to render assistance at an accident scene.
I think you might have stressed staying in your car if you were on an Interstate a bit more however.
Melanie johnson says,
You need something to advise teen drivers.
Tell them that just because they are a teen does not mean that they are at fault and they don’t have to let the adult intimidate them into saying they were at fault. Tell them to never give the other person a ride just because their vehicle is ubdriveable. Let them know that they are to never feel that they have to drive this other person around until their car is fixed. Etc.
John S says,
Another important thing is that since the road is probably blocked now watch out for other traffic while trying to aid any victims. Many people aiding victims get hit and killed by oncoming traffic that doesn’t slow down fast enough or see the accident in time.
Cindy Lartigue says,
I love these tips, especially about witnessing an accident. It can be very stressful but witnesses are very important. Thank you Geico!
skaizun says,
I once witnessed a 3-car accident, caused by all three drivers being on their cell phones (which is illegal for drivers in that State) failing to see that the light, at the bottom of a small hill, had turned red. I witnessed it from across the street. I called the local cops non-emergency number on my cell phone to request police and ambulance (despite the 30 mph wrecks, nobody seemed injured, but, better safe than sorry). The 911 operator said that since nobody was hurt and that all cars were mobil, there was no need for police or ambulance. I was stunned. And, yet, I shouldn’t have been. The vast percentage of calls made to 911 that I’ve made over the years, for things ranging from trespass to out-of-control house parties to fires to road ragers have all met with similar responses: If they don’t witness it, they are not interested. And in the rare circumstances that a cop appears, guess who is made to feel as if he’s the criminal?
Bob Lee Shirley says,
Real Good Info. to know! But I would add, to remain calm.
Cándida Castillo says,
Llamar la policía para un reporte immediatamente, para llamar después al seguro GEICO LO MEJOR QUE HAY COMO SEGURO
Lucky says,
Very helpful!
Gode says,
Thank you for this helpful info
Carol Gilkey says,
Thank for FYI this is very helpful info
Judy Kelly says,
Thank you very much for this post. We all think we know what we should do when we witness an accident. But, there are more bits of information in the post that had not occurred to me before. It is very concise, powerful information.
Now, as a Geico policy holder, all I need to do is to get the app for my iPhone.
Judy Kelly says,
Thank you very much for this post. We all think we know what we should do when we witness an accident. But, there are more bits of information in the post that had not occurred to me before.
Now, as a Geico policy holder, all I need to do is to get the app for my phone.
Thanks again for this concise, powerful bit of information on what I should do if I witness an accident.