Driving Tips > Safety Columns
Fender Benders: What to do
Knowing what to do in the event of a collision means you’ll be better prepared to handle the process.
Make sure everyone is safe
Check to make sure that you and your passengers are okay.
Prevent secondary collisions
If possible, pull over to the shoulder or curb lane and put your hood up and turn your flashers on.
Exchange information
When exchanging information, stand on the sidewalk or boulevard instead of standing close to the damaged vehicle. Exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, driver’s licence numbers, number of passengers, vehicle owner’s name, address and phone number, vehicle plate number, make, model, year, and insurance policy number.
Write it down
We often think we’ll be able to remember the details later, but even a minor collision can be stressful and cause you to forget some important facts. Be sure to write the date, time, exact location, city and province, road conditions, your speed and direction of travel, the other driver’s speed and direction of travel, and damage to the vehicles or any other property. It’s also very helpful to draw a diagram of what happened.
Talk to witnesses
If possible, get the names, addresses and telephone numbers of at least two witnesses.
For more information, watch The 60-Second Driver on CTV, or visit the following sections on this website:
- Accident Procedures in Driving Tips
- Reporting a Vehicle Claim in Claims
- You can access the 60-Second video on Accident Procedures directly
