What Information Should I Exchange After a Car Accident?

Nov 6, 2020

Graphic showing two cars in a front-end collision on a blue background

List of Things to Collect After a Vehicle Collision

No matter if it is major or minor, car accidents can make even seasoned drivers feel anxious, angry, and confused among other emotions. Following a car accident, the first thing you should do is make sure everyone is safe and call for medical help if someone is injured. Additionally, you will need to call for the police to arrive. Then, a step dreaded by many, talk to other drivers involved to exchange information. Granted, if you have never gotten into a car accident before, you probably don’t know what to give out and what to ask for. Here’s our list of things to collect after a vehicle collision.

[ READ MORE: 10 Things to Do After a Car Accident ]

Full Name
Contact Information (Phone is Recommended)
Insurance Company and Policy Number
License Plate Number
Vehicle Type, Model, and Color
Location of the Accident

Information You Should Not Exchange

Unhappy woman in the driver seat of a car

While you should provide the needed information listed above, there is some information that other drivers should not know. Providing too many details may lead to a risk of retaliation or identity theft when the info isn’t necessary. Instead, you should relay those details to the law enforcement officers responding to your accident.

Do not allow other driver(s) to snap a photo of your driver’s license
Do not provide your home address or driver’s license number

Note that if the other driver does not have car insurance or doesn’t own the vehicle they are driving, you will then need to get their address, phone number, and driver’s license number. However, this will likely be the only instance where that information will need to be shared. Additionally, it’s a good idea to help keep the situation calm by not talking about who is at fault, even if you believe you were the cause. The insurance companies will determine that once they receive the facts they need.

[ How to Save on Car Insurance | Explore the OKCarz Blog ]