What to do at an accident sceen?

[Alexs]

I always wanted to know for sure about this one.

Aren't you supposed not to move your car after the accident untill the police arrives? Meaning, not to dive to a side of the road, but rather let is stay whereever it stopped after the accident ?

Thank you.

[TofuBoi]

yeah...... my parents told me never to move the car...... cuz police will come faster if there is a big traffic jam...... also if u move em its like moving stuff at a scene of a crime. Also the other party could screw u over and said u hit them instead, because after all the cars have been moved they could tell another story and blame it on u.... happened to one of my moms friends.

[TofuBoi]

and if the other party is wrong, and they tell u to move your car. DON"T DO IT, even if a witness also tells u to move the car. Cuz u don't know if the witness is related to the other party. They'll scam u're ass.

[1-Bar]

If the accident is more than $1000 you don't touch any cars. Police have to come to the site of the accident just in case some charges can be made and also determine what happend.

[Alexs]

Thats what I thought. The reason I asked is because whenever I see an accident, people move their cars to a side of the road.

I always keep a disposable camera in my glove box for that "special" occasion.

[CKY]

well what can you say (like an excuse or a something) as a reason if the other party forcefully insists you to move the cars?

[davidI]

Originally posted by CKY
well what can you say (like an excuse or a something) as a reason if the other party forcefully insists you to move the cars?

I can't see anyone forcing you to move your vehicle. They can't really tell you anything that 'forces' you to move. If they physically start touching you that's battery and even if they threaten force that is assault so unless you're a pussy and do what they tell you to I don't think you should do anything because they want you to.

Edit: If you're not at fault I'd try to grab a few witnesses as well. They don't even have to wait with you, even just grab their name and phone number so it's not just your word against the other person involved in the collision.

[ZorroAMG]

What can you say as an excuse? How about "Fuck off man, I am NOT moving my car, go back and sit in yours till the police come."

Leave the cars as they ended after the collision and wait, the police will be able to tell what transpired if say the other person tries to bullshit and blame it on you.

[sputnik]

:werd: to the Z man...

I have known people who were rear ended... and the person who rear ended them claimed that they backed into them :nut:

[rage2]

Originally posted by sputnik
:werd: to the Z man...

I have known people who were rear ended... and the person who rear ended them claimed that they backed into them :nut:
Which wouldn't work anyways... the guy in the back is always wrong unless there's a witness to prove that the guy in front really did back up.

Honestly, if the cops show up and you haven't move your cars, it's not going to make any difference than if you got out of the way before the cops arrival. It's not like the cops is bringing out the CSI forensics team to investigate your crash. They deal with tons of them every day during rush hour, so they'll look for 5 seconds, take notes, make the normal assumptions in their report, done. I got rear ended twice last year, both times I drove off out of the way to relieve traffic. No problems with who was at fault. The skid marks and depris field are still on the road where the accident happened if there's anything to be debated.

If you're just blocking traffic, you're just an asshole, you're not making any difference in your case. Get out of the way so I can go home lol.

[JustinL]

If you witness an accident I think you should stop and atleast give them your phone number and name as a witness. Do your good deed for the week.

[Khyron]

Legally if you witness an accident and you drive off, that's almost as bad as hit and run. You HAVE to give name/number or hang around.

Khyron

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Khyron
Legally if you witness an accident and you drive off, that's almost as bad as hit and run. You HAVE to give name/number or hang around.

Khyron

Not true.

[dogmaiwli]

The only time you have to stay is if you were involved,

Failure to remain at the scene of an accident. 6 Demerits.


And if your not involved whos' gonna stop ya from going.
(oops i didn't see anything) Gotto go. What are you going to do.
It's Just good citizenship to stick around.

[Zero102]

Nobody sticks around in this city.
Been hit 4 times, no witnesses stayed. Had people go over grassy medians to get around us, because I was trying to stop them to get their name. Fucking sucks.

Alright now that the rant is over.
If you're rear-ended or something obvious like that, feel free to move the cars. But, if it was a side swipe, or an accident in a turn, or something like that, you're best off to keep the cars in as close a position as possible to where they stopped/were hit. It will really help when the cops come out, made that mistake once. Got in an accident, that after we moved, it was really quite impossible to tell who hit who (it was a side swipe), and guess what, now his insurance company is telling me I hit him *sigh*.

So, the best thing to do, is keep a disposable camera (WITH FLASH, made that mistake too, night time, no flash!) in the car, if you get hit, hop out, take a few pictures of how the cars are, and any obvious damage, then move the cars and photograph the rest of the damage. Nothing pisses people off more than a couple people who crashed sitting in the middle of the road for the cops to get there. That's the best of both worlds, keep your evidence, but allow traffic to continue.

If the other guy starts telling you to move your car, don't make excuses, just tell him straight out, that you do not want to, and that you will not. It's better to be straight up about that. If you have a camera, then you'll be moving it soon anyways.

Somebody told me that it was illegal to leave the scene of an accident if you witnessed it, but I have not seen any laws against it, so I believe it's just good citizenship.
Although, I do really wish more people would stay.

[yohan4ws]

Last time i saw an accident.. only time actually, i stopped, made sure they were ok, offered my name and number ..

The police called and asked an address but it was pretty obvious who was at fault .. (some station wagon turned left into an accord going straight)

Also, NEVER debate whose fault it is at the scene of the crime .. EVEr .. never never admit fault .. the other persons police report could read "I was putting on makeup and looked up... " or "I was talking on my cell phone and ..." as well it could get heated and turn into a brawl ... where somebody ends up gettin charged with assault.

If damage exceeds $1000 it is required by law you report it to the police.

If its a simple fender bender, and your at fault ... offer to fix it without going through insurance ... always collect eachothers information but get in writing that the person said you will agree to fix the others problem without insurance in case they goto your insurance after the fact..

*** Probationary drivers and people under 25 OBEY THIS *** had I known when I got in a fender bender when I was 20 (40years ago) it'd have saved me huge on insurance.. 60/month for 2years .. . == $1440. If i get in an accident and I wasn't driving my car but an older easier to fix up one that parts were all over.. I'd accept cash depending on the circumstances ... but would collect information and ensure my car was fixed proper.. (bumpers are easy and can be colo rmatched at a body shop to the at fault persons expense)

get residential phone numbers etc.

It's required by law to provide your information at the scene of an accident to the other party.

my 2cents.

[Zero102]

Just to be clear, you're suggesting that if you are under 25/probationary, that if you're driving somebody else's car, settle privately?

I'm not 100% sure how insurance works if I'm in somebody else's car.

Stupid question, but if I'm insured in my car, and I drive somebody else's car (which they also have insured), and let's say I get in an accident, whose insurance does it go through? I presume my rates would go up no matter what, but would they claim against me, or the owner of the car? (I presume me).

Just wondering, because I drove a friend of the family's car a little while ago, and after I got where I was going, I found out that their insurance stipulated that nobody under 40 could drive the car. Nothing happened, but I always wondered how it would work if something were to happen.