{"id":376088,"date":"2017-06-13T12:35:43","date_gmt":"2017-06-13T17:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/pennsylvania-law\/your-philadelphia-car-accident-the-basics.html"},"modified":"2018-12-19T15:59:48","modified_gmt":"2018-12-19T20:59:48","slug":"your-philadelphia-car-accident-the-basics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/pennsylvania-law\/your-philadelphia-car-accident-the-basics.html","title":{"rendered":"Your Philadelphia Car Accident: The Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Your Philadelphia Car Accident: The Basics<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

You are on a mission. You’ve always said you wanted to learn more about Revolutionary history. Feeling ambitious, you set out in your car to downtown Philadelphia — land of the Liberty Bell<\/a>, Independence Hall<\/a>, National Constitution Center<\/a>, and, home to those 72 stone steps<\/a> Rocky Balboa infamously climbed.<\/p>\r\n

You’re driving along with visions of Benjamin Franklin dancing in your head when you see it. Traffic. No one seems to be following the traffic laws. Everyone is merging into one lane. Didn’t you read somewhere that Philadelphia is one of the most dangerous cities to drive in ?<\/p>\r\n

Suddenly, you’re involved in a car accident and are blocking traffic. What should you do? What should you expect? Here’s some information to help guide you through the process should you be in a car accident in Philadelphia.<\/p>\r\n

What to Do at the Scene<\/h2>\r\n

First, you must stop at the scene of the accident — whether the accident involves a pedestrian, a moving car, a parked car or someone’s property. Pennsylvania state law requires drivers in a crash to stop and stay at the scene to exchange information or render reasonable assistance to the injured. If you leave, you can be charged with hit-and-run<\/a>. Hit-and-run penalties are severe. Depending on the damage or injuries, you may be fined, sent to jail or both. You also could lose your driver’s license.<\/p>\r\n

Do I Have to Call the Police?<\/h2>\r\n

Call the Philadelphia Police Department<\/a>, the Pennsylvania State Police<\/a>, or 911 if a person is injured or killed; you must report the accident immediately. If you hit a parked car, or other object like a traffic device, you must inform the owner. Leave a note with your name, address, license plate number and insurance information and report the accident to local police.<\/p>\r\n

Philadelphia Police will not respond to minor car accidents where there aren’t any personal injuries or damage to physical property surrounding the accident, such as commercial, residential or government-owned property.<\/p>\r\n

Remember to remain calm and provide the dispatcher with the correct address of your emergency and your phone number. Make sure to stay on the phone until the dispatcher tells you to hang up. An officer will respond to your location and take a report.<\/p>\r\n

What Information Should I Gather at the Scene?<\/h2>\r\n

Be prepared to exchange information with the other driver — your name and driver’s license number, the vehicle identification number of the car you are driving, the name and address of the car’s owner, the name and address of your insurance company and your insurance policy number. Some other information you may wish to collect includes:<\/p>\r\n