Accidents Happen

Lets face it, our roads are shared by nearly 150 million licensed operators. Many of them inexperienced drivers who recently acquired their driving privileges (license) and are just gaining experience as new drivers on the road.

►Please take a minute to print this form and keep it in
  your glove compartment. It will allow you to provide the
  particulars of any accident.
 
  » Accident Information Form

Unfortunately sometimes bad things happen to good people and if you are ever involved in an automobile accident, report it to the local police, insurance broker and your insurance company.

Be sure to:
 
   Promptly notify the police department. and call an
    ambulance if anyone is hurt.
 
   Cooperate with the authorities who come to the scene.
 
   Take reasonable steps to protect your vehicle from
    another loss by moving it off the road.
 
   Try to record everything on the scene. (Details of the
    accident, identification of the vehicles, drivers and
    passengers involved.)
 
   Take pictures if a camera is at hand or make sketches of
    the details with a brief description of the accident and be
    sure to remember the date and time of the accident, road
    conditions and weather.
 
   Promptly report it to your insurance carrier and file a
    report with the Dept. of Motor Vehicle (MV-104 Form).


Afterwards:
 
   Get copies of all police reports.
 
   Have the insurance company inspect and appraise the
    damage before taking any steps to repair the vehicle.
 
   Cooperate with the insurance carrier representative in the
    investigation, defense or settlement.
 
   Provide your carrier with copies (always keep originals)
    of any notice or legal papers received in connection with
    the accident as soon as possible.
 
   If you are the injured, submit any physician statements to
    your insurance carrier.
  

Of course we hope that you will never be involved in an accident but since we never know if when and where, we can only encourage safe driving, both defensively and offensively.

Do Not Speed.
Speeding reduces the time you have to avoid a collision and lengthens the stopping distance.

Red lights.
An estimated number of crashes are reported from motorists running red lights. Sometimes running through a red light is deliberately done or simply accidental from the lack of attention being paid to the road. Being an aware motorist both defensively and offensively reduces the chances of being involved in a car accident.

Don't Drink and Drive.
The use of alcohol is a significant factor in collisions. 
It effects your driving ability and crash likelihood, endangering your life and the lives of others.

Wear a Seatbelt.
Comply with the seat belt laws and if you have a child in the vehicle, make sure that they are placed in child seats as required by the law until they outgrow and graduate to adult seat belts.

Airbags.
Airbags are designed to work with seat belts and help reduce the risk of injuries in an accident. Newborns should never be placed in a rear-facing restraint in the front of a vehicle that is equipped with passenger side airbags. Riding in the back is a good way to keep a newborn, infant or child away from inflating airbags.  Even if the vehicle is not equipped with airbags, riding in the back is much safer. Be sure that the rear-facing restraint or child seat is tightly secured to the vehicle with an adult safety belt and that the infant is properly buckled.