How to Handle a Car Accident Scene

When an accident occurs, there are many important factors to consider to ensure the safety of not only the drivers and passengers, but also of other motorists on the road. Follow these steps to ensure you know what to do if you should happen upon the scene of a car accident.

Things You'll Need

• Vehicle emergency kit
• Cell phone

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Instructions

• 1

  Call 911 immediately. Whether the accident is minor or there are injuries involved, the police will need to be notified to fill out reports and insurance information. If there are injuries, the sooner emergency personnel are notified, the quicker response time they will have in getting to the scene.

• 2

  Secure the area. Have someone divert traffic away from the accident. It is important to keep other motorists and vehicles away from glass and other debris scattered from the crash. If the accident occurred at night, turn on hazard lights and ignite flares to warn oncoming motorists of the danger.

• 3

  Turn off all vehicles involved in the crash. There is no way to know the kind of damage the cars have sustained and if there is any kind of puncture in the gas tank, the slightest spark from the engine could ignite a fire, thus increasing the danger posed to passengers, drivers and passers-by.

• 4

  If anyone is bleeding or injured, attend to the wounds as best you can with the first-aid kit kept in your trunk. Put pressure on any open wounds. If a head injury is suspected, hold the person's head still from behind. If the person is not breathing and his or her heart has stopped, move them into a flat position on solid ground and begin CPR.

• 5

  Ask drivers or passengers how many people were in the vehicle, especially children that could be pinned under the car or thrown from the vehicle.

• 6

  Cover injured people with blankets or coats and keep them talking until help arrives. This helps to keep them from going into shock.

• 7

  Ask someone to gather information from each person involved. The police will need names, phone numbers and emergency contacts, addresses, ages, insurance information and accident details, but they may be preoccupied at first securing the scene. Asking for this information can also be an excuse to keep injured victims alert.