Session 35 – Crashes

Do not stop at a crash unless you are involved or unless emergency help has not yet arrived. Keep your attention on your driving and keep moving, watching for people who might be in or near the road. Never drive to the scene of a crash, fire or other disaster just to look. You may block the way for police, firefighters, ambulances, tow trucks and other rescue vehicles.

No matter how good a driver you are, there may be a time when you are involved in a crash. If you are involved in a crash you must stop.
If you are involved in a crash with a parked vehicle, you must try to locate the owner. If any person is injured or killed, the police must be notified. It is a crime for you to leave a crash site where your vehicle was involved if there is an injury or death and before police have talked to you and gotten all the information they need about the crash.

You may want to carry a basic vehicle emergency kit. These kits have emergency flares or reflectors, first aid supplies and basic tools.

If You Are In A Crash

Stop your vehicle at or near the crash site. If your vehicle can be moved, get it off the road so it does not block traffic or cause another crash.

Do not stand or walk in traffic lanes. You could be struck by another vehicle.

Turn off the ignition of wrecked vehicles. Do not smoke around wrecked vehicles. Fuel could have spilled and fire is a real danger.

If there are power lines down with wires in the road, do not go near them.

Make sure other traffic will not be involved in the crash. Use triangles, flares or other warning devices to alert traffic to the crash.

If Someone is Injured

Get help. Make sure the police and emergency medical or rescue squad have been called (call 911). If there is a fire or downed power lines, tell the police about it when they are called.

Do not move the injured unless they are in a burning vehicle or in immediate danger of being hit by another vehicle. Moving a person can make their injuries worse. However, Wisconsin law protects you from civil suits if you give aid to the injured.

First help anyone who is not already walking and talking. Check for breathing first, then check for bleeding.

If there is bleeding, apply pressure directly on the wound using your hand or a cloth. Even severe bleeding can almost always be stopped or slowed by putting pressure on the wound.

Do not give an injured person anything to drink, not even water.

To help prevent an injured person from going into shock, cover them with a blanket or coat to keep them warm.

Report the Crash

Get the names and addresses of all people involved in the crash, including injured persons, and any witnesses.

Exchange information with other drivers involved in the crash. (Name, address, driver license number, vehicle information [license plate, make, model and year of vehicle] and insurance company and policy number, if available.)

Record any damage to vehicles involved in the crash. If requested, provide information to the police or other emergency officials.

Try to find the owner if a crash involves a parked vehicle. If you cannot find them, leave a note in a place where it can be easily seen with information on how the owner can reach you, the date and time of the crash.

You must report a crash to a law enforcement agency if there is an injury, a death or property damage of $1,000 or more to any one person’s property, or property damage of $200 or more to government property (example: signs, guard rails, etc., [government vehicles, if $1,000
or more damage]). The law enforcement agency will file an accident report with DMV. If the law enforcement agency does not investigate the crash or file a report, you need to file the report within ten days of the accident or crash. Driver Report of Accident forms are available on the DMV Web site, from law enforcement agencies and most insurance agencies.

WHAT TO DO

What to Do in Case of a Crash, Stalled Vehicle or Other Emergency

1. Locate the nearest reference marker.

2. Make sure you are in a position to safely make a call.

3. Dial 911.

4. Be ready to answer questions:

• What is your location?
  (Give the information from the reference marker.)
• What is your wireless phone number?
• Describe the problem.
• Depending on your answers to these questions, you may be asked for more information.

What to Do If You Hit a Deer

• First, make sure your vehicle is still safe to drive. If not, get assistance.
• If your vehicle can be moved, get it off the road so it does not block traffic or cause a crash.
• Record the time, place and other circumstances of the incident for insurance and accident reporting purposes.
• If you hit a deer, you are entitled to keep it. If you do not want the deer, the next motorist on the scene is entitled to the deer. In either case, before the deer can be taken, law enforcement will need to issue a tag for the deer. Contact the Sheriff’s Office
  or local Police Department to obtain a tag.
• If you decide to leave the deer, you should notify a local law enforcement agency of the location where the deer
  was hit (especially if the deer is not dead).