Motor vehicle collisions rarely occur at convenient locations. They often take place on busy interstates, at the outer edge of a blind curve or at intersections that see an immense amount of traffic. Those involved in the crash have certain obligations to others. Those obligations include a responsibility to report the collision to local law enforcement. They may have to wait quite some time for Illinois police officers to arrive and put together a crash report.
Before that happens, drivers may need to move their vehicles so that they do not impede the flow of traffic. Illinois law requires drivers to reposition vehicles just as it requires them to report a crash that causes property damage or physical injury. Before people reposition their vehicles, there is another step they may need to take first for their protection.
Documenting the crash is crucial
The details of a collision, including the placement of the vehicles and the debris in relation to nearby landmarks, can influence how professionals analyze the crash. Drivers who take a moment to preserve the scene of the crash can potentially work with professionals to recreate the collision and more effectively establish that the other driver was the party at fault for the incident.
Typically, it only takes a few minutes, if that, to record video footage of the scene of the crash and capture some pictures that reflect the circumstances of the collision. Images that capture not close-up shots of vehicle damage but rather the scene as a whole and video footage showing perspectives of the crash from multiple angles can prove beneficial if people need to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit following the collision.
People never know when the driver at fault for a crash might lie about the situation, and it is therefore crucial to preserve evidence that can establish who is truly at fault. Taking the right steps immediately after an Illinois car crash can protect someone from unfair financial losses that the other party should theoretically help cover. Ultimately, drivers who preserve evidence about a collision may have an easier time holding another motorist accountable for causing a crash than those who simply rely on the honesty of the person at fault for the wreck.The post What to do before moving damaged vehicles after a crash first appeared on Haxel Law .