Involved in a Fender bender, what do you do?

Alot of folks have never been involved in a small collision, but don't be worried if you are, just remember these tidbits to help you through it.

First and foremost, you should find a safe area to pull off to and never leave the scene. You should assess the situation and call 911 if your vehicle is blocking, it is an emergency, or if someone is injured. This should be done as soon as possible. If your vehicle is blocking and can be moved, you should move out of the road for your safety. The police may or may not respond to every collision, that depends on the jurisdiction and situation. In situations where the police respond, you should expect that a police report may or may not be taken, depending upon the severity of the collision or where it occurred (Such as a parking lot, private property collisions will typically not be investigated by the police).

It is best to call your agent and or the claim department of your insurance company as soon as practicable after you deal with the initial situation. Always take multiple pictures of any involved vehicles and document what happened, where it happened, the time of the collision, the involved persons, and any other data such as what the other driver says. You should not rely solely on the Police to document the collision. Most of this information is for the insurance company and will be needed when you initially make any claims.

It is important to exchange information with the other driver including their driver license number, address, phone number and of course their insurance information (company, policy number, claim number). Your agent or claims department can help answer any additional questions on how the process works.