What do the Police Do When There is a Car Accident?
In any automobile accident, large or small, it’s a good idea to contact the police. The local police can provide these valuable services which will help the public and can help your case.
- Attend to victims – the first priority of the police is to attend to any victims. If they think any victims need immediate medical care, the police will arrange for an ambulance to take anyone who was hurt to the closest hospital.
- Secure the scene and traffic – car accidents can leave cars and debris in the middle of the road. The police can arrange for the cars to be moved or towed and for clean-up crews to clean the street so traffic can move. The police will normally re-route traffic until they’ve had a chance to fully investigate the accident and to clear traffic and debris.
- Prepare a Report – the police will take statements from all the drivers and witnesses. They will also look at and include in the report the driver’s license information for each driver. The same idea applies to car registration and insurance. They will also include in their report the damage to the vehicles and the route the vehicles took before and after impact. Additionally, they will include information about the roads – for ex. how many lanes there were and where the traffic lights were.
- Prepare citations – if the police think another driver was at fault they may prepare a traffic citation at the scene. A citation might be useful in your claim against the wrongdoer, particularly if the wrongdoer pleads guilty or pre-pays the fine.
How our firm can help
Anyone who has been in a car accident in Norfolk or who knows someone who was killed in a car accident because of the negligence of another needs to have legal help. Contact Norfolk Injury Lawyer Joe Miller or call him toll free at 888-694-1671 for more information on how to proceed, how to work with your doctors, and whether you might have a significant recovery coming your way.
