Road Transport
Tips
The accident report
Although it's probably not convenient, the best time to gather information about an accident is immediately following it. Try to get as much information as possible. The more you know about all the people involved, including witnesses and the police officer on the scene, the easier it will be to process any insurance claims or file legal actions. Here's what you need to know:
Driver information
Yours and the other driver's name, address, license, ownership and insurance company. Even get the names of any passengers.
Vehicle information
Describe the type of unit or tractor that you were driving, including year, make, colour, VIN # and Unit #. Get all the same information from the other driver.
Cargo loss information
If the cargo was damaged, describe the damage and estimate the value of the damage.
Accident information
Include the date, time, location (street, city, province), number of vehicles involved, direction vehicles were travelling and estimated speed of each vehicle.
Road and weather conditions
Describe road and weather conditions in detail. Are roads straight, curved, level or hilly? Any potholes, construction or debris in the road? Include traffic information to indicate heavy or light traffic, stop and go, or merging traffic. Weather conditions should not only include wet or dry roads, but should also describe visibility.
Diagram
Sketch on a piece of paper how the accident occurred, indicating the direction you were travelling, your position prior to impact, the point of impact and your final resting point. Label your vehicle as "Vehicle A" and all other vehicles involved as Vehicle B, C, D, etc. Be sure to include street names, traffic signals and stop signs in your sketch.
|  | |
