Accident Procedures and Reporting
This domain tests what you do in the ten minutes after a crash: where the warning devices go, who you call, what you say, and what you must report afterward. Answer choices often hinge on protecting the scene and avoiding statements about fault.
At the scene
- Stop. Leaving the scene of a crash involving injury or death is a criminal offense.
- Protect the scene: set out three reflective triangles within 10 minutes, one at 10 feet, one at 100 feet, and one at 200 feet behind or in front of the vehicle. On a hill or curve, move the farthest device to 500 feet.
- Do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger such as fire.
- Call 911 and give the location, number of vehicles, injuries, and any hazardous materials involved.
- Turn off the engine, set the parking brake, and watch for fire.
Information and reporting
- Exchange name, address, license number, plate number, and insurance information with the other driver, and get names of witnesses.
- Do not discuss fault or admit responsibility; report facts to the officer and employer.
- Notify your employer immediately. Under federal rules you must also notify your employer and the licensing state of any traffic conviction, generally within 30 days.
- If you are carrying hazardous materials, tell responding authorities and keep the shipping papers available; do not leave a placarded vehicle unattended.
Worked example
A tractor-trailer stalls after a minor crash on a two-lane road at night, just past a curve. Reasoning: the vehicles are in a live lane on a curve, so the far triangle goes at 500 feet rather than 200 to give approaching drivers time. The driver sets the near triangle at 10 feet, the middle at 100 feet, calls 911, and leaves the vehicles in place because there are no injuries and moving them would destroy evidence.
Traps
- Placing triangles too close, or putting them out after the ten-minute window.
- Apologizing or saying the crash was your fault at the scene.
- Moving the injured before help arrives.
- Failing to tell your employer or the state about a conviction.