Five Ways Your Cell Phone Can Help You After an Accident

There are approximately five billion cell phones in use today, across the globe. The advantages of cellphone technology span an enormous range, from enabling parents to keep track of their children to helping African farmers purchase crop insurance. While the use of a hand-held cell phone while driving is extremely dangerous and now illegal in most states in the country, having a cell phone can be immeasurably helpful at the scene of a traffic accident.

When venturing out in a car it is a good idea to carry a fully charged phone. Many cell phones and smartphones now have chargers that can be adapted to charge from an electrical point in the car, such as a cigarette lighter fuse point.

If you are in a traffic accident, use your cell phone to:

1. Call emergency personnel – call 911 to alert police and request and ambulance if you or anyone else is injured.
2. Document the scene – take photos of your vehicle, the other vehicle(s) involved, the license plates, the surrounding area, obstacles in the road, improper signage, confusing lights and anything else indicating the conditions. Take a screen shot of the time, date and weather conditions as well.
3. Take statements of witnesses – take video or audio recordings of any witnesses who can describe the events leading up to the accident.
4. Get help – if you are alone, call a friend to come and meet you at the scene. Trauma can affect judgment so you might not know if you are injured right away. If you are injured, a friend can take photos and interview witnesses while you are being treated.
5. Call an attorney – it is always best to give details of an accident when it is still fresh in your mind.

There will soon be more cell phones than people on the planet. While there may be some disadvantages to this invention (such as the temptation to use it while driving), it can help you preserve important data at the scene of an accident. If you have been injured in a car accident, call the Palm Harbor Law Office of Paul B. Genet, P.A. at 727-510-8802 or contact us online.