Failure to Do This After a Car Accident Can Get You Fined in Indiana
Being in a car accident sucks. The main reason of course being the possibility of severe, or even life-threatening injury, but there's also repairs that will need to be done to the vehicle, and the possibility of your insurance rate rising depending on whether or not the fault lies with you. On top of all that, there's also the chance you could violate a law on the books in Indiana that carry's a monetary fine.
On Wednesday, the Evansville Police Department (EPD) issued a public reminder to drivers that failure to move vehicles off the roadway as soon, and as safely, as possible after a car accident can result in a Class C Infraction, which carries a maximum $500 fine. Exceptions include accidents that result in "injury, death, or entrapment."
The law, Indiana Code 9-26-1-1.2, went on the books in July 2016 in an effort to curb secondary accidents that can occur as other motorists attempt to avoid the crash.
In the event you're involved in an accident, the EPD also offered the following tips to keep in mind since you'll likely be running on adrenaline, and you're mind will be racing.
- Call 911 and report the accident
- Move your vehicle as soon as is safe to do so
- Document the damage by taking pictures (use insurance company phone app if available)