fender benders are inconvenient
tommyFirst off, it just sucks to be involved in a car accident. Even the smallest crashes are irritating. And if you or your wreckmates have any damage, someone has got to have the police come in to write up a report.
And you have to be patient.
Real patient.
Cops are a busy lot, what with all the traffic tickets they give out, the separating of domestic disputers, checking in at the Krispy Kreme, and whatever else it is that they are doing.
So when you call the cops to have them come out and check on a no-injury-crash, expect to wait longer than if AAA is on their way to change your tire. It took cops 90 minutes to reach us last December.
John Cullum wasn’t patient. He got into a wreck on the interstate in Wesley Chapel, called the cops, and Pasco County deputies showed up after some time. But interstate crashes are investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol, so he had to wait a bit longer.
He decided to call emergency about the wreck a second time, and that got him some attention. He was charged with “misuse of 911.”
By the way, if an accident is called in, and you decide to leave before the cops show up, you could also be charged with leaving the scene of an accident with damage (it happened to my wreckmate last December).
Instead, use the time to prepare for the aftermath of the accident:
- Check and treat minor injuries
- Move vehicles if they are in an unsafe place
- Exchange information with your wreckmates and any witnesses
- Use your celly to photograph the damage
- Call your insurance company
If you still have time after all that (and you will), think about how you have to miss work to get the car into the shop, be without your vehicle for a couple days, and how you will have to fight with the insurance company for every nickel.
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June 19th, 2008 at 8:01 am
I agree, it does take forever… However, a vehicle crash with no injuries is civil in nature and not a priority call for service. Both parties in a minor crash have the option of just having the officer write up the crash on a “Blue Form” or Driver’s Exchange. This way, no one will get charged in the accident and get a ticket. The only reason officers take the report is the insurance companies anyway.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Servicing traffic accidents seems to be a problem in this neck of the woods. Had a fender bender in the middle of a sudden, violent storm atop the Howard Frankland. Not fun. Called it in. Three cars. Well, really four but the one who initially caused the accident left.
I had my hungry children in the car. Rush hour. Dinner time. Because it was raining very hard, my husband got out of the car to confer with the other drivers. He was drenched.
We waited 90 minutes for a road ranger (this before they announced possible layoffs). No one ever came. Spoke to them a few times during the wait. They kept saying…”we can’t find you”. Huh? Atop the bridge with three cars pulled over with flashing lights??? They claimed they were driving up and down and couldn’t find us.
I didn’t believe them. I think they just wanted us to go to a precinct which it would have been fine for them to say 90 min earlier. Yes, the officers are busy but we can’t blame the accident victims if this is what insurance companies require.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:51 am
And for god’s sake, move your cars out of the way. If you’re in the middle lane of a three lane highway and you tap bumpers with someone, there is no reason for you to stay there until the cops arrive. CSI Tampa is not going to show up and measure skid marks or anything like that.