The
National Highway and Traffic Safety
Administration reports that in 1998 there
were 6,335,000 "motor vehicle
traffic crashes!" Over one-third
of these involved injury or death.
(Source: Traffic Safety Facts 1998, U.S.
Dept. of Transportation, National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration)
If
you are injured in a traffic accident,
consider seeking medical attention
immediately. Stay calm and contact
the police.
Preserve
the evidence! Obtain names and
phone numbers of witnesses and document
important details. As soon as
possible, photograph the accident scene
from as many different angles and
positions as you can. If possible,
photograph all involved vehicles
including license plates and any visible
damage.
Note
the location of skid marks and any debris
(broken glass, dirt from the underside of
cars, taillight lenses, etc.) Skid
marks usually last about a week and can
be a very important issue in auto
accidents.
Keep
a diary and notes of anything you can
recall about the accident scene; traffic
conditions (heavy, light, etc.), weather
(hot, dry, rainy, wet pavement, etc.),
and sketch the accident site.
Locate positions of vehicles as you
recall them. Note and measure the
position and direction of vehicles after
impact.
If
you need assistance, contact our "accident
experts" in the "Referral
Section" on this page.
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