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3 things to document with your phone after a serious wreck

On Behalf of | Apr 27, 2021 | Car Accidents |

Mobile phones often get blamed for causing car crashes. It certainly is true that distraction at the wheel causes a significant number of collisions.

However, your phone is also a valuable tool that helps protect you while you were on the road. You can call for help right away if you get a flat tire. A phone can help you navigate so that you don’t get lost. If you do get into a crash, your phone will continue to be an important tool.

It can play several important roles in how you respond to the collision beyond just the ability to call for first responders right from the scene of the crash. Your phone can provide you with first aid instructions. However, the most universal use of a phone after a crash is to document the details of the wreck.

  1. Driver information

It’s hard to write clearly in the moments after a crash. Your body’s response to a collision can temporarily diminish your fine motor skills. Rather than risking illegible handwritten copies of driver’s license and insurance information, it is faster and more accurate to just take a photograph of the other person’s license and insurance card. You can quickly take pictures and even exchange numbers in case you need additional information for insurance claims.

  1. Evidence of wrongful behavior

Some people start videotaping immediately after a crash. They want to catch the aftermath and identifying information for the other person in case they flee the scene of the accident. Immediately taking a picture or video of the other person’s car can help you if they leave the scene.

You can also take video to prove that the other person gargled with mouthwash, dumped out a drink or threw something in the nearby trash can before police arrived. Even playing with their phone without moving around the vehicle could be a sign of trying to destroy digital records that prove they were texting or using social media right before the crash.

Having video proof of someone’s suspicious behavior will make it easier to get police officers to look into your claims.

  1. The scene of the crash

The last thing that your phone can help you document is the position of the vehicles after the collision. Using your phone to take video and photographs of the area around the crash and the condition of both the vehicles will preserve evidence, especially if you have to move the vehicles for safety reasons.

Everything that you document after a crash can potentially help if you need compensation later. Whether you need to file an insurance claim or pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver, video and photos captured by your mobile phone can be crucial to building your case.

 

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