Payman Zargari Misdemeanors Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Having an automobile accident is always a frightening experience but there are some basic actions you can take in response to help reduce both your stress and legal consequences you might face. 

• Stay calm. Take a few deep breaths and prepare yourself to act in a courteous and tactful manner.
• Stop your vehicle. Whether your accident involves another car, a pedestrian or someone’s property, it is important to pull off to the side of the road or into a well-lit parking lot if it is dangerous to leave your car where it is. If you fail to stop, you could be additionally charged with a “hit and run” offense which carry severe penalties.
• Once you have stopped your car, turn off your engine. If it is safe, step out of your vehicle, if not, wait for assistance. Assess your current location (with cross streets) so you can provide this information to authorities.
• If you, your passengers or the individuals in another automobile sustain car injuries, seek medical assistance immediately. Use a cell phone to call 911 for emergency services and if you believe it is needed, ask for an ambulance to be sent to the scene of the accident.
• Do notify police and cooperate with them at the scene. Inform the police if you believe you or your passengers have been injured.
• If there are no injuries, exchange names, addresses, license numbers and insurance information with all parties involved in the accident.
• Along with personal information, gather details about any witnesses who saw the accident and information about the weather, road, and lighting conditions at the time of the incident. If possible, use a cell phone camera to take photographs of the damage to your car and the accident area.
• Be sure you are calm and are thinking clearly before you provide any information to the police. Avoid making statements about responsibility to the other driver, witnesses, police or anyone else. Do not accept fault, even if you believe you might be responsible for the accident.
• Arrange to get your car towed to your car repair facility or the nearest repair shop.
• Once your thoughts are clear, contact your insurance company and provide them with all of the pertinent information.

Seek legal advice and protect your rights and legal interests. If you are a California resident, schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced DUI attorney in Los Angeles as soon as possible if you are arrested for for a Los Angeles DUI offense.  Payman Zagari can help if you have been accused of a Los Angeles DUI.