If you witness a car accident - do you have to stop or pull over?
You don't have to pull over. There is nothing that says you have to, are obligated to, or need to. However, as a good citizen you should to see if everyone is okay and if you have your cell phone, call 911 to report the accident. If you stick around, the police will get a witness statement to se if it was accident, who was at fault, and for insurance purposes. This is because in most (2 vehicle or more) motor vehicle crashes, the drivers of each vehicle blames the other.
Thanking a witness to a car accident?
I was recently in a minor car accident (no injuries, minor scratches to the car). The other driver didn't even bother to stop, but a witness took down the other driver's license plate and waited with me until the police arrived. He gave me his business card. I thought it would be nice to send a thank you note to him. Would it be better to send an e-mail or a note by postal mail, especially if it's a guy? What should I write? Thanks
Do you have to stop if you witness an accident?
Of course. Every single time, unless I am physically unable to do so (e.g. I’m in a train and I see an accident on a road beside the tracks).Otherwise, I’ll immediately pull over and help if at all humanly possible. A few weeks back, I was out and about on my motorcycle with my son (17) on the back, and I was stopped at a traffic light, as a motorcyclist skidded and flew off his bike in front of us. I told my son to hold on tight and shot across the road onto the sidewalk, jumped off and was kneeling beside the motorcyclist just as he stopped skidding. I went and helped him get to his feet and helped him lift his bike and get it to safety. Then I checked him for injury, but thankfully he was okay. Thanks to the protective gear he was wearing.Always.I always stop. Unless everything is clearly under control and others are helping. But even then I’ll ask “Do you need any help?” before driving or riding on.It doesn’t matter if I’m late for something, because even if it’s very important, nothing is more important than helping others, especially if they are injured.I have always stopped and I will always continue to do so. The boot of my cars have first aid kits in them that are massive and have enough stuff to bandage up an entire football team.Sometimes the people in the accident are fine (which is always a good thing - I’ve seen more than my fair share of tragic accidents), and I’ll secure the accident until the emergency services get there. So I’ll direct the traffic around the accident, help clear the road, stop and oil from getting into the drainage systems (otherwise it’d pollute the streams, etc.). There’s always something you can do to help. Even if it is simply calling the ambulance / police and making sure they can get to the accident easily…
Do I have to stop if I witness an accident?
I was driving home tonight and was the first car stopped at an intersection. There was an accident directly in front of me when a car going the opposite way hit a car making a left on the street I was on. I couldn't really see who had the right of way, and neither of the cars had much damage, so I doubt there were injuries (both cars had just started to go). Also, I have no medical training, and I didn't have a cell phone on me. I figured I would only be in the way, and other people had already stopped and were out of the car by the time my light turned green, so I just left. When I got home I told my mom, who then nagged me about not stopping because, according to her, it's "the law" to stop if you see an accident. I disagree. I've never heard that anywhere. So, is it the law to stop? I live in Florida for the record.
Car Accident with no police report, no witness?
A police report probably wouldn't have done you any good anyway. A cop who comes to the scene after the accident happens has no way of telling who ran the light. (Of course the tow-truck driver's word is worthless as well). Do you have any witnesses? You might try going back to the scene and asking around in stores, at bus stops, etc and see if anyone saw it. If not, your best option is to sue in small claims court and hope the judge finds you more believeable than the other guy.
Would you offer to become a witness in car accident?
Yes. Greatly appreciated my witness to my first accident. The truck backed into me after I barely touched it. (This was a real mess for insurance purposes). And the men at the local fire station actually backed me up saying the initial the one I caused was no more than 3 mph and could not have done such damage to a big box truck cosidering it was moving forward as well and had been hit in between gears. He backed up into me at 5 mph. Well the passenger was claiming back injuries and neck injuries and requested f^cking AIR TRANSPORT to the hospital (The guy didnt get air transport but he did take an ambulance). I had multiple witnesses who not only saw the driver miss shift but then back into me.Thank God for Police and Fire because insurance did have to cover injuries but they were told exactly what happened. I have also volunteered as a witness even though I am 16 I have learned very well from the multiple advanced driving schools I have attended. Also everything goes full circle so one day someone might do this for you.Now on the downside my father witnessed a carpet van wreck into a wall on I-85 in Charlotte and he pulled the passenger to safety but couldn’t get the driver nor could the others who helped. He had to attend a 3 week long trial as witness to this. However he now lives with the personal knowledge and pride of saving a man’s life.
Witness to car accident, going to funeral?
I can imagine this would be very traumatic. I think it's very nice of you to go to the service. You should wear somber, church-appropriate clothing (blacks, dark greys, navy blues), light on the jewelry and perfume. Flowers are fine, but you could probably just bring a card. The funeral home will have a box to drop cards.
Morally, what should one do after witnessing a car accident?
Stick around and leave a police report.Awhile back when we were involved in an accident and the other drivers at the scene drove off, my husband and I made a pact: for every accident we witnessed we would wait and leave a statement. My brother-in-law told us he had done the same thing and a very grateful driver sent him a thank you note and a bottle of spirits for saving his driver record and his insurance rates. Outrageously, a car of 4 teenagers under the influence was driving in the wrong direction on a highway and crashed into another driver. However, they twisted the story and said it was the other driver going in the wrong direction. Without my brother-in-law's statement, he could have lost the case. I am sorry, but people will admit they are at fault to you personally and completely change their story later. Since making this pact, I have left three statements. One time I was on vacation standing in line outside at a popular restaurant and witnessed a car accident involving a teenager and a foreign couple who were tourists and did not speak English well. I advised them to call the police and file a report because they were afraid to. The two other times I was a car in the intersection witnessing the accidents. One involved a pedestrian getting run over. In the restaurant scene, the other diners advised me not to get involved. In the accident involving the pedestrian, there were many witnesses who did not stick around. In all 3 cases I was interviewed by insurance people and my testimony was critical to the case. I do this as a sense of duty and to keep people honest, in the hope that next time someone will do the same for me or one of my family members.
Passenger cant be witness in a car accident?
I'm going to say no the passenger can't be a witness because the passenger can be your friend and just go along with your story because you're friends. For example a reason why maybe the passenger can't be a witness is...you may not like somebody and have your passenger/friend say they did it to get that person in trouble.