One of the first things many people do when they get into motor vehicle collisions is to contact emergency services. It is instinctual for some people to reach out for professional help in a moment of fear or panic.
However, the other driver might have approached you and asked to resolve the matter on your own without involving the police. When do you technically have to notify the authorities about an Oklahoma car crash?
When someone gets hurt or dies
Under Oklahoma state statutes, drivers must contact emergency services as soon as possible when a motor vehicle collision leads to injury or a fatality.
The injury does not need to be severe to trigger this rule. A broken bone or a bump on the head that will require medical evaluation and a car insurance claim will also require a police report in most cases.
When the property damage is severe
Technically, state law does not require that you file a police report for crashes that only involve property damage. If you don’t file a police report, you may have a harder time with your insurance claim or with a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver.
You will have the best chance of a successful claim when there is a police report to validate your allegations that the other person caused the crash that wrecked your vehicle. It is worth noting that although the other party may offer to directly compensate you for damage to your vehicle, without a police report, you will be at a disadvantage to hold them to their word.
Knowing the right steps to take after an Oklahoma car crash will make it easier for you to resolve the consequences of a collision.