Collect the Driver’s Information and Take Photos

As you’re waiting for the police to arrive, it is advised that you do everything you can to gather evidence; gathering evidence early on can help to make sure that it is preserved and as relevant as possible. You can take advantage of the time that you have to wait by collecting the information of the driver who hit you, and taking as many photos as you can.

What You Should Get

Assuming the driver who hit you has remained at the scene, you should approach the driver and begin to collect information that will be relevant during the claim process. This includes the driver’s:

• Name;
• Driver’s license number;
• Vehicle make and model;
• Vehicle license plate number;
• Car insurance and registration information.

It may also be helpful to ask the driver for their version of events. You should also get the driver’s contact information should you need to get in touch with them at a later date with questions. If the driver had any passengers in the vehicle, get their information too.

You should also provide the driver with your information if it is requested as well.

Tips for Taking Photos

Photos are a great tool in the car accident claims process; a photo can show something that a description or a mere claim cannot. You can use photos to prove how an accident happened, the extent of damages suffered, or provide information about weather, road, and other conditions at the time of crash. The goal is to collect and provide as many details as you can with photographic evidence. As such, some tips for taking photos include:

• Don’t hold back. Don’t hesitate at taking pictures of everything at the scene of the collision, including your injuries, damage to the other vehicle, skid marks, traffic signs, weather, witnesses, debris in the road, and everything else you can think of.
• Get it all from different angles. Another thing that can be helpful when you are photographing an accident scene is to take pictures of the same thing from different angles. Taking a shot from a different angle may provide more information than you would have been able to capture otherwise.
• Make sure you get time and date. Make sure that your phone will record the time and date that the photos are being taken, as well as the location when possible. This will be useful in proving that the photos are indeed from the crash scene.

More on Taking Photos

When police arrive, you should ask to photograph their badge numbers as well. You should take a photo of the ID of anyone you talk to who saw the accident and can attest to what happened. Remember, there is no such thing as too many photos.

If you don’t have a camera or phone with picture-taking capabilities on you, ask the other driver to take pictures and send them to you. Some pictures are better than none at all.