The steps to take when you have a car accident are listed below:

Primary Step: First and foremost, make sure that everyone involved is out of the harm’s way and any required medical and police help has been requested for or summoned. Collect the information you think you may need and write it down in a small notebook for future reference. Your notes should include the following relevant information:

(1) Names and addresses of the drivers of the vehicles involved in the accident.

(2) Verify if the involved drivers had valid driving licenses and note down the numbers.

(3) Observe, if any of the drivers involved in the car accident were under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Note down the reasons or symptoms you have observed supporting your inference. Also note down the names and addresses of any other observers who think the same as you do.

(4) Try and get the names and addresses of the passengers in the vehicles involved in the accident.

(5) If there were any pedestrians involved in the accident, note down their names and addresses.

(6) Note down, if any of the persons involved in the accident reports personal injury along with their names and addresses.

(7) Also note down the kind of personal injury reported by the injured.

(8) Observe and note if there was any medical assistance rendered at the site of the accident and to what extent.

(9) Keep note of the actual location of the accident along with time, date, weather conditions and landmarks.

(10) Keep a note of the names, addresses and phone numbers of all the witnesses to the accident.

(11) Note the direction of the vehicles prior to the accident.

(12) Observe and note any discrepancies in the vehicles prior to the accident. For example “faulty headlights” or “wipers not working” etc.

(13) Assess and note the external damage to the vehicles along with the parts damages as a result of the accident.

(14) In case you get any clues, note the details of the registered owners of the vehicles involved in the accident.

(15) Note if the vehicles involved in the accident were insured along with any details that you may come across.

(16) Observe and note if any of the vehicles were needed to be towed from the accident site.

(17) Note the cause of the accident and the way it occurred.

(18) Note if anyone takes the responsibility for the cause of the accident like “I am sorry. I was speeding..!”

(19) Note if anyone else says something similar like “I've been taking this medication…!”

(20) Observe and note down the names of the police officers present at the accident site.

Julian Hall - Director of Claims Master Group. Personal Injury Claim,No Win No Fee, Car Accident Advice