If you have been involved in a traffic accident you should know that the law specifies the responsibilities of the responsible party. If you have been involved in an accident we recommend you to follow these steps:
Stop your vehicle immediately
After an accident, it is considered a hit-and-run offense. If the driver flees, he/she could be found guilty or suspected of the accident. Some legislations impose fines but others impose penalties of 1 to 5 years imprisonment. If a person is involved in an accident try to help him/her by calling the ambulance immediately and if possible give him/her assistance, although sometimes you should not because you could aggravate his/her situation.
If you have been in an accident you should first contact the police to make a report of the facts. If possible get some witnesses, take pictures with your cell phone.
Ask for professional help
One of the best things you can do in this situation is to seek professional help, for example, call an ambulance or your lawyer. You should not wait or leave the scene until the police arrive, unless the injured person needs to be taken to the hospital. Be aware that you can go to jail if you leave the scene of the accident. Keep the police, ambulance and fire department numbers handy in case of emergencies.
If a person dies in an accident take the necessary steps until the police arrive, do not ask anyone, even if they say they are a relative of the injured person, to take the body until the police arrive, otherwise you could be charged and go to prison.
Provide information
It is important that you give some information to the other party such as:
- Your name and address
- If you are not the owner of the vehicle then you must give the name of the owner of the vehicle.
- The name, model, license plate of the vehicle
- You must give the name of the insurance company
Failure to provide any of this information could result in penalties and the defendant could press charges against you.
