Download a printable version of this checklist to share with the other drivers in your family. Encourage everyone in your family to keep a copy of the checklists in the glove box or above the visor; it may help your loved ones avoid being injured in a wreck, and will help them know what to do if they are ever in a wreck.

Before You Get In The Car

1. Make sure you are well rested and not impaired by alcohol or medication.
2. Be sure you know your car’s equipment (adjust the mirrors, seat and other controls so you are in full control of the car).
3. Use your seatbelt! Seatbelts keep you in the car. A person thrown from a car quickly becomes a fatality.
4. Turn on the car’s lights. Lights not only enable us to see where we are going, they make our cars easier to see by other drivers.
5. Know where you are going before you start your journey. Fumbling with maps or even sophisticated navigation systems distracts from the task of driving.
6. Never use your cell phone. Studies show that even hands-free speaker-phones divert much of our attention from the road.
7. Eliminate as many distractions as possible. Pull over to deal with a crying child or an upset pet.
8. Keep a first aid kit, cold weather survival items and disposable camera in your trunk or glove box.

If you are in a collision

1. Make sure you and your passengers obtain appropriate medical care as soon as possible.
2. Call 9-1-1 for an ambulance and police.
3. If your car is still driveable, move it well off the road onto the shoulder or next to the curb.
4. Tell the responding officer or patrolman your observation of the crash.
5. Get the names of any witnesses, their telephone numbers and addresses.
6. Get the other driver’s name, address and insurance company information.
7. Photograph the other driver and their car, including the car’s license plate.
8. DO NOT provide a written or tape recorded statement to any insurance adjuster who represents the other driver who caused the collision.
9. Call us at the Brosnahan Law Firm, P.A. as soon as possible so our investigators can collect and preserve the evidence you will need to win your case.

© 2008 Brosnahan Law Firm, P.A.