If a Crash Occurs

If there has been an injury, call emergency services for help. Do not leave the scene of a crash until all matters have been taken care of. Move the vehicle only if its position puts you in danger, or you are instructed to move it by a police officer.

Give only the necessary information to police and other parties involved in the crash.

For emergency towing see Roadside Assistance Program .

Gather the following information:

  • Driver name, address, and telephone number.
  • Driver license number.
  • Owner name, address, and telephone number.
  • Vehicle license plate number.
  • Vehicle make, model, and model year.
  • Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
  • Insurance company and policy number.
  • General description of the damage to the other vehicle.

Choose a reputable repair facility that uses quality replacement parts. See “Collision Parts” earlier in this section.

If the airbag has inflated, see What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? .

    See also:

    Safety
    In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, the Lucerne rates Good, the best possible score, in the frontal-offset test and Acceptable in the side impact. Acceptable is, well, acceptabl ...

    Vehicle Symbol Chart
    Here are some additional symbols that may be found on the vehicle and what they mean. For more information on the symbol, refer to the Index. : Airbag Readiness Light : Air Conditioning : Antilo ...

    Odometer
    The odometer shows how far the vehicle has been driven, in either kilometers or miles. This vehicle has a tamper-resistant odometer. The digital odometer will read 999,999 if it is turned back. If t ...