In the immediate moments following your collision with another vehicle, you should pull your vehicle over to a designated breakdown lane on the side of the road. This is only if your injuries or vehicle’s incurred damages do not prevent you from doing so safely. From here, you should put your vehicle in park, turn on your hazard signals, and check your rearview and side mirrors for any incoming traffic before carefully stepping out of the driver’s seat. This is because you are expected to speak with the other involved driver and provide them with certain pieces of information. With that being said, please read on to discover what you should exchange with the other driver and how a seasoned St. Mary’s County car accident lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can help you use this knowledge wisely.
What information should I exchange with the other driver after my car accident?
Importantly, there is a time and place for everything. So, to reiterate, you should ensure that you and the other driver get to safety and get the proper medical attention you need before worrying about exchanging this information. You may even wait for a law enforcement officer to respond to the scene before initiating this conversation. But once the time comes, you must be willing to share the following:
- Your full name and contact information (i.e., phone number, email address, mailing address, etc).
- Your driver’s license number, license plate number, and vehicle identification number.
- Your insurance company name and policy number.
- Your vehicle’s make, model, color, and year.
- The date, time, and location of your auto accident event.
Generally speaking, this information is necessary if you wish to collect some sort of financial payout from your future auto accident claim with your auto insurance provider.
What happens if I leave the scene before exchanging this information?
If you drive away before the other driver has an opportunity to ask for your information, you may be essentially fleeing the scene of your accident. This may be considered a serious offense in the state of Maryland, especially if the accident resulted in property damage, injury, or death. Without further ado, you may be up against the following criminal consequences:
- Fleeing the scene of an accident that resulted in property damage:
- A fine of up to $500.
- Jail time of up to 60 days.
- Fleeing the scene of an accident that resulted in injury:
- A fine of up to $5,000.
- Prison time of up to five years.
- Fleeing the scene of an accident that resulted in death:
- A fine of up to $10,000.
- Prison time of up to 10 years.
To conclude, a competent St. Mary’s County auto accident lawyer from The Dorsey Law Firm is willing to offer further clarification on this issue. So please do not hesitate to seek out our services. We look forward to helping you.
