Vehicular Accident Procedures

If you are involved in a vehicle accident there are several steps you should always take.

• Unless your safety - or others' safety - is endangered, don't move the vehicles until the police arrive.

  The police should always be called to the scene of an accident! Don't move the vehicles unless there is a safety factor (e.g., the accident is at a blind curve or hillcrest) and even then it is preferable to leave the vehicles where they came to rest and provide traffic control. No matter how agreeable the other driver(s) may be, we need the physical evidence of where the vehicles come to rest.

• Never admit fault.

  This isn't an invitation to be deceitful. In the stress of the moment you may say something you shouldn't, take the blame for an accident that really wasn't your fault. Be courteous, be helpful, give aid as needed, but stop there.

• Get the police officer's name, badge number, and department. If the information they provide you at the scene does not have a telephone number, get a number where the police department can be called.
• If you have a camera with you, take some pictures. The police may not (and their photos are always very expensive) and - as the old saying goes - a picture is worth a thousand words.
  • This is especially important if you are in a foreign country. Finding someone to visually inspect the vehicle in these cases is difficult. It will be a great help to us if you not only document the accident scene but the damage to the vehicles.
  • This can also be important if a rental vehicle is involved. Adjustment of these claims is problematical and your photos can be of great assistance.
• Contact our office "as soon as possible."
  • If the damage is minor - a general guideline is driveable - contact us the next business day.
  • If the damage is major, and especially if there are serious injuries, contact us immediately.

How do you contact the Office of Risk Management?

On the personnel page of this site you will find a list of field people. The primary contact for auto accidents is KutinaEngland (pager: 812-323-6986), then Paul Endrisr (pager: 812-337-2888), Larry Stephens (pager: 812-323-4288), or Larry Shaver (pager: 812-335-7543). During normal business hours you can reach the office at 812-855-9758. (You can send a short message via pager. Make note of the number you wish to page then go to the paging web site.)

Is prompt contact important?

Prompt contact is extremely important. We need to talk to victims and witness as soon as possible, we need to see the damaged vehicles and make arrangements to move any university vehicles if they have been towed.