Auto Accident Guide – Sylvania, OH

Accidents can be scary, more so than simply worrying about the damage to your vehicle and the repair bill that may come with it.  It is important to keep calm and collective, as Vin Devers Collision Center cares about our clients safety first and their auto body repair second…

1 The Immediate Basics…

(a) Check for Injuries…
Look over yourself, your passengers and then those in other involved vehicles. Attend first
to anyone who is not already walking and talking. Do not move the injured unless they are
in a burning vehicle or in immediate danger.
(b) Get Help…
Ask the next person who stops to call the police and if needed, an ambulance. Make
sure the police know about any injury claims or if an injury is suspected to be claimed later.
(c) Warn Other Motorists…
Use flags, flashers, flares, a white cloth tied to an antenna, etc. Only move your vehicle if
the police ask you to do so or if its position endangers you.
(d) Protect Yourself and Others from Other Vehicles…
As a results of your accident, other vehicles will need to maneuver around the scene.
Sometimes, other vehicles do not see your accident in time and will unwittingly collide with
your vehicle. The safest place for you is in a nearby building. The second safest place is
within your vehicle. Do not stand at the side of the road, as you may be hit.

2 The Legalities…

Watch What You Say…

Other Vehicle Information.

To avoid legal culpability later, do not debate the accident. Do not discuss the circumstances
or responsibility on the scene or afterwards with others involved. Give statements of fact
only to the police. Never state that you or your passengers are not injured. Discuss circumstances and responsibility only with a verified representative of your insurance company.
(a) Identify Yourself…
Tell police and other parties involved in the collision: your name, driver’s license number,
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), insurance company name and insurance policy number.
(b) Identify Others Involved…
For each vehicle involved, you will want to get: their name, driver’s license number, Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN), insurance company name and insurance policy
number. Also get the names of the other occupants in their vehicles.
(c) Map Out the Accident
Take note of pertinent street names, traffic lights, stop signs, weather conditions and approximate speed of vehicles involved.
(d) Limit What You Sign…
Don’t sign any document other than what is required by law enforcement