In a car accident, when do I call the police?

You hear the screech of tires. There’s no time to brace yourself. In the blink of an eye, you feel the impact.  Whether a crash comes out of the blue and collides with a great deal of force or it’s a low-speed thump in heavy traffic, you’re now involved in a traffic accident.

Stay at the scene

You are required by law to stay at the scene of the accident. The law says you must stop whether the accident involves another moving car, a parked car, someone’s property, or a pedestrian. If you drive away, you can be charged with hit and run—even if the accident was not your fault. Hit-and-run penalties are severe. You may be fined, sent to jail, or both. You also could lose your driver’s license.

Do you know when to call the police?

Somebody is hurt

If anyone is injured, incapacitated, or dies at the scene of the accident, call 9-1-1 immediately. Report the situation and ask emergency dispatchers to route an ambulance for medical assistance. Anytime there are injuries, a police officer will also be dispatched to investigate the accident and deal with any traffic issues.

There’s property damage

Even if there do not seem to be any injuries, the law requires that you call the police to report a traffic accident when property damage meets the following criteria:

• In the State of Washington, call the police if the “apparent extent” of property damage could exceed $700.00 (Seven Hundred Dollars). This applies to any one vehicle or property involved in the accident, not a total of all property damage.
• In the State of Oregon, call if the damage may exceed $1,500.00 (Fifteen Hundred Dollars) to your vehicle, any other vehicle that is towed from the scene of the accident, or any property.

Damage from a collision may not only be to the vehicles involved, but to other property (a light pole, traffic signs, fences, or any building structures).

What do insurance companies say about calling the police?

Most insurance companies recommend that you call the police anytime there is an automobile accident.

Will the police actually come to the scene of the accident?

When you call 9-1-1, an emergency dispatcher can assess the situation. Based on the information you provide, the dispatcher will tell you whether they will send an officer to the scene of the accident. In cases where no one is injured and the property damage is minimal, plus the vehicles are in drivable condition, police may not be dispatched.

Whether or not the police show up, be sure to collect information you’ll need to report the accident and deal with insurance companies.