With the prevalence of motor vehicles on roads throughout the state of Pennsylvania, it is inevitable that some of them will be involved in car collisions. The moments following a car crash can be chaotic and the severity of these incidents can vary widely. Regardless the specifics of each collision, all drivers involved in crashes in the state, should follow these steps.
The first is to stay at the scene of the collision and call the police. If possible, take care to get away from other traffic without moving to far away from the scene of the collision. If you are injured, seek medical assistance. If you are okay, but others around you are not, call an ambulance and do what you can to help them while waiting.
If the crash involves others, exchange information with those involved. This is true regardless of whether the others involved are drivers, passengers or pedestrians. In addition to getting the names of those individuals, you also need their address, contact information, driver license number and the license plate numbers. Auto insurance information should be exchanged and, if witnesses are around, their contact information should be gathered as well.
If you are seriously hurt and the collision was due to negligence on the part of another person, your next step may be to contact a personal injury attorney to determine whether damages associated with the crash may be sought. Because evidence quickly disappears and memories of witnesses tend to fade, the sooner this course of action is taken, the better.