What to Do After a Car Accident in Tulsa, Oklahoma

What to Do After a Car Accident in Tulsa, Oklahoma

After a crash, deal with injuries and traffic danger before the vehicle or paperwork. The current Oklahoma Driver Manual is the primary state source for a driver's responsibilities after a crash.

Check for injuries and immediate danger

Stop and call 911 or local law enforcement. Tell the dispatcher about injuries, fire, smoke, leaking fluid, a blocked lane, or any other immediate hazard. Turn on the hazard lights if you can do so safely.

Do not move an injured person unless emergency personnel direct you or leaving the person in place presents a life-or-death danger. Follow the 911 dispatcher's and responding officer's instructions.

Move a minor crash out of traffic when required

The Oklahoma Driver Manual says a vehicle blocking traffic after a minor crash must be moved or have it moved. Whether you can do that safely depends on the damage, traffic, vehicle position, and scene. If you are unsure, tell 911 or law enforcement what you see and ask for direction.

Do not stand in a live lane to inspect damage or take photographs. Your safest waiting place depends on the scene. Fire, traffic, water, unstable vehicles, and downed power lines can all change the answer.

Exchange and preserve the facts

When it is safe and appropriate, exchange:

• Driver and vehicle owner names and contact information
• Driver license, registration, and insurance information
• Vehicle description and license plate
• Witness names and contact information

Take photographs of the vehicles, plates, damage, road, traffic controls, and wider scene from a safe position. Save the report number, towing documents, destination, invoices, receipts, and repair communications. Stick to what you observed and answer law enforcement truthfully.

Arrange the vehicle's destination

Ask the officer or scene authority whether you may choose the towing company and destination. When choice is permitted, call Miklos Towing at (918) 830-0773 with:

• The exact location and direction of travel
• Vehicle year, make, and model
• Collision damage and whether the wheels can roll
• The requested repair shop, home, storage lot, or other authorized destination
• Any instruction already given by law enforcement

Dispatch checks the scene, job fit, equipment, availability, quote, and current ETA. Calling does not mean that a truck has been assigned. The responding authority controls an active crash scene.

After leaving the scene

Contact your insurer and follow its current reporting instructions. Keep copies of what you submit. For injuries or new symptoms, call 911 for an emergency and seek advice from a qualified medical professional. A towing company cannot diagnose an injury or tell you when medical care is needed.

For a vehicle that cannot be driven, call Miklos Towing's 24/7 live dispatch at (918) 830-0773.

This article provides general information. Current law, the official Oklahoma Driver Manual, and instructions from emergency personnel control.