Stop immediately and as close to the accident site as possible. Do not move your vehicle unless directed by a police officer or if it is in a position to cause another accident. Check everybody involved for injuries. If the accident was more serious than a fender-bender, call an ambulance immediately. To protect victims from further injury, don’t move them. Cover them with a blanket or jacket and wait for the paramedics to arrive.

After you’ve called for medical help, call the police. Only discuss the accident with the investigating officer. Do not blame anyone, including yourself. The police will tell you what to do next—such as whether you should move the vehicles out of traffic. While you are waiting for the police, exchange insurance information with the other driver(s) if possible. You will need:

• Name of driver
• Their drivers’ license number
• Name of their insurance company
• Phone number of company or agent
• Effective dates of their policy
• The driver’s phone number

Other important information to collect at the scene includes:

• Names of all drivers and passengers involved in the accident
• Make, model and license plate number of each vehicle involved
• Names, addresses and phone numbers of witnesses
• Photos or drawings of the accident scene and damage to the vehicles
• Names and badge number of police officers and responding medical teams
• Information on how you can receive a copy of the police report
• If you hit an unattended vehicle, try to find the owner. If you are unable to locate the owner, leave a note with your name and phone number on the car’s windshield.

After the investigating officer has completed a report and you’ve received any necessary medical care, phone your Penn National Insurance agent as soon as possible, even if you weren’t at fault or are far away from home. The sooner your agent receives the information, the sooner we can start reviewing the claim.

Throughout the claims process, you must tell the truth about all aspects of the situation, even if the circumstances surrounding the accident are embarrassing or detrimental to you. Insurance fraud is a crime with very serious consequences.