27 Mar Crash First Steps in Tucson: Accident Checklist + What to Photograph for Faster Repairs & Insurance Approvals
After a car accident, it’s important to make sure you have all of the necessary documentation of your accident, the damage to your vehicle, and the estimated cost of collision repairs to streamline the insurance claims process. At National Auto Collision Centers, we aim to make the insurance claims process as simple as possible. We have decades of experience working with local and national auto insurance companies, and can provide complete claims handling services from start to finish. To ensure faster insurance approval for auto repairs, follow these steps after your accident.
First Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Tucson
The first thing on your car accident checklist is to ensure your safety and the safety of your passengers and anyone else involved in the accident. Check yourself and your passengers for injuries, and then assess your vehicle’s safety on the road. If possible, move the vehicle to the side of the road to prevent further damage and injury and avoid impeding traffic. Next, talk to any other drivers involved in the accident to see if they have suffered from any injuries. Then call 911 to report the accident. Though the police may not send an officer if there are no injuries reported, it’s a good idea to document the time, location, and other details for your insurance company. After calling 911, exchange insurance information with the other drivers involved.
What to Photograph (or Take Videos of) at the Accident Scene
Once everyone is safe, you’ll want to take photos and videos of the accident scene. This will establish an irrefutable timeline and evidence of any environmental factors that may have contributed to the collision. The most important things to document via photos or videos are:
- Damage to the vehicles, including close-ups and wide shots of any bumper damage, auto glass damage, tire damage, deployed airbags, etc.
- Wide-angle photos or videos of the position of the vehicles, including road signs and other identifying landmarks
- License plates of vehicles involved and/or witness vehicles
- Locations of security cameras or traffic cameras that may have caught the accident
- Photos or videos that show weather conditions
- Environmental factors like traffic signs, caution or warning signs, roadway damage, low visibility, skid marks, debris, and other road or weather conditions
- Injuries to yourself and all other drivers and passengers
Important Information to Document
In addition to getting the name, contact information, license plate and driver’s license number, and insurance information for any other drivers involved, there is some other key information to document. Identify any potential witnesses to the accident, including employees at nearby businesses that may have witnessed the collision. Get their names and contact information. When it is safe to do so, write down everything you remember about the accident, including the date, time, location, weather details, and any contributing factors. If you can’t take notes, record a voice memo on your phone or leave yourself a voicemail recounting the information.
At National Auto Collision Centers, we offer major and minor collision repair services. After an accident, we can help you navigate the insurance claims process and ensure efficient, comprehensive damage inspection and repair. Call us today or contact us online to schedule an appointment at one of our auto body shops in Tucson, AZ.