Seven actions to take if you’re in a traffic accident

By William D'Urso

Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 | 2 a.m.

Most people have been in a car accident in some form. From Jan. 1 through Dec. 4, 2012, there were 22,060 traffic accidents — about 65 per day — reported in the jurisdiction patrolled by Metro Police.

Despite the high number of accidents, police and insurance providers continue to see errors in how people act in the aftermath of being involved in a wreck.

Here are seven tips to remember if you’re involved in a traffic accident, provided by Officer Marcus Martin, a Metro spokesman, and Bill Rohac, owner of Nevada Life Services, an independent insurance agency:

• 

  Jeff O'Brien

  Remain on scene

  This may seem like an obvious tip, but police and insurance providers stress this point. If you leave the scene of an accident, charges could be brought against you.

• 

  Erin Dostal

  Don’t panic

  Police and auto insurance experts say it’s important to try to remain calm so any damage or injuries can be properly evaluated and conveyed to emergency personnel. Take a moment to collect yourself and make sure you’re not stepping into further harm when you exit your vehicle.

• 

  Steve Marcus

  Assess injuries

  When you have collected yourself, make sure you understand if you have been hurt and what injuries you may have suffered. If possible, check to see if anyone else has been hurt and how severely those people may be injured.

• 

  Steve Marcus

  Prevent further accidents

  Once you’ve established what injuries you or anyone else involved might have, check to see if any vehicles or debris are in the road. If possible, move anything that could potentially cause another accident.

• 

  Steve Marcus

  911

  Making an emergency call is not always necessary. Many insurance providers would encourage calling police if the collision happened in a public roadway. If you are not sure if the damage is significant enough to call for help, call just in case. For more minor accidents, you may have to go into the police station to file a report.

• 

  Rebecca Clifford-Cruz

  Exchange information

  Once you’ve properly assessed any injuries that may have been suffered, and you’ve alerted the necessary authorities, make sure to get the information of the other drivers involved. Copying the insurance information of the other driver is important, but to protect yourself against a policy that may be expired, be sure to copy down the person’s license plate and driver’s license numbers.

• 

  Paul Takahashi

  Document the damage

  Take pictures of the damage with your phone, or keep a disposable camera in your glove box for such an emergency. Pictures of the damage can help make your case when filing an insurance claim.