The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety has a form available called a "Collision Report." This collision report should be completed and mailed to the Department of Public Safety. The address, which is a PO Box in Oklahoma City, is provided on the top of the form. The collision report requests details including information about each vehicle involved in the crash, the drivers of those vehicles, and the extent of damages to the car and injuries to vehicle occupants. The form makes it easy for motorists to make sure they have all information they need after an accident and to make sure they comply with reporting requirements.
Car accidents in Oklahoma need to be reported to the Department of Public Safety, but this is not the only reporting that must be done. If you are involved in a collision, you should make sure both your insurer and the insurance company of other drivers are made aware of the crash.
Steps to take after an Oklahoma City car crash
You can report your car accident to the police by calling 911 if you have sustained serious injuries or if anyone else at the crash scene is badly hurt or has been killed. You should call for help if people in your own car are harmed, or if any other motorists, pedestrians, or bike riders have been hurt. If no injuries are life-threatening, calling the non-emergency number for the police is advised so an officer can come to the crash scene and make a report of the accident (and issue any appropriate tickets). The City of Oklahoma City Police Department can be reached at (405) 297-1170.
You can report the car accident to your car insurer by calling the number on your policy documents and insurance card. The other drivers involved in the crash should call their own insurers and report the collision. The other driver is required by law to stop at the crash or can be charged with a hit-and-run. The driver should give his name, contact details, and insurance information to you. You can use this information to call the other driver's insurer and make sure an accident report has been filed.
You may have only liability coverage, depending upon what types of protections you bought when you got insurance. Only property damage and bodily injury liability coverage is required in Oklahoma. This means if you bought minimum coverage, you'll get compensation from an auto insurer only if you prove the other driver was to blame for the accident. Proving blame means the other drivers insurer should compensate you for your losses. You can get this compensation through negotiating a settlement or through filing a civil lawsuit. An attorney can assist you with the process of dealing with the insurer or the court system. Be careful what you say to insurance companies when reporting or being questioned about an accident so you do not jeopardize your right to compensation.