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Washington driving lesson · Conditions and Emergencies

Collisions: what to do, report, and 911

A 3-minute lesson from the Washington course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Conditions and Emergencies
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
175, 176, 177, 178

No matter how carefully you drive, you could end up in a collision. Knowing the steps ahead of time keeps you calm: stay, protect the scene, help the injured, exchange information, and report it.

Collisions typically have three causes:

  • Too much speed
  • Too little space
  • Insufficient situational awareness
Handbook p. 175 ↗

If you crash:

  • Don't drive away; if anyone is injured or killed, call 911, since law enforcement must be notified
  • Move the vehicle to the side of the road, near the crash site, as soon as possible
  • Don't stand or walk in traffic lanes
  • Use flares or other warning devices
  • Turn off wrecked vehicles, and don't smoke near them because fuel may have spilled
Handbook p. 175 ↗

Know the rule

If you hit a parked vehicle, try to find the owner. If you can't, leave a note where they'll easily see it with the date and time of the collision and your contact information.

Handbook p. 176 ↗

Exchange with others involved:

  • Name, contact information, and driver license number
  • Insurance company and policy number
Handbook p. 176 ↗

Know the rule

Take photos or videos of damage, and give information to police or emergency officials if requested.

Handbook p. 176 ↗
4 days

File a collision report form within this time if an officer doesn't do it for you (required by state law)

Handbook p. 176 ↗

Helping the injured:

  • Call 911
  • Don't move injured people unless they're in a burning vehicle or other immediate danger
  • Help anyone not already walking and talking: check breathing, then bleeding
  • For bleeding: apply pressure with hands, then a bandage or dressing, then a tourniquet
  • Give injured people nothing to drink, not even water
  • Cover them with a blanket or coat to keep warm and help prevent shock
Handbook p. 177 ↗

Calling 911:

  • Stay calm and assess how serious the crash and injuries are
  • Give your location, with landmarks or mile markers
  • Describe the crash: number of vehicles, damage, and injuries
  • Follow the dispatcher's instructions
  • Be ready with details like vehicle types, plates, and hazards
  • Stay on the phone until help arrives
Handbook p. 177 ↗

Put it into practice

You back into a parked car in a lot, leaving a dent, and no owner is in sight. You can't just leave. Look for the owner; if you can't find them, leave a visible note with the date, time, and your contact information, and file a collision report within 4 days if no officer does.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

Which of these is listed as one of the three typical causes of collisions?
  1. Too little speed
  2. Poor road conditions
  3. Too much speed
  4. Too much space

Answer: Too much speed

Collisions typically stem from too much speed, too little space, or insufficient situational awareness.

Handbook p. 175 ↗
If a law enforcement officer doesn't file a report for your collision, within how many days must you file one yourself?
  1. 30 days
  2. 4 days
  3. 10 days
  4. 15 days

Answer: 4 days

You must file a collision report form within 4 days of a crash if an officer doesn't do it for you.

Handbook p. 176 ↗
If you see bleeding while helping an injured person after a crash, what's the first step?
  1. Apply a tourniquet immediately
  2. Move them to a more comfortable position
  3. Apply pressure with your hands
  4. Give them water to drink

Answer: Apply pressure with your hands

For bleeding, first apply pressure with your hands, then a bandage, then a tourniquet if needed.

Handbook p. 177 ↗
You should never give an injured person anything to drink, not even water.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

Do not give injured people anything to drink, not even water.

Handbook p. 177 ↗
If your vehicle is in a collision with a parked car and you can't find the owner, you should just drive away.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

If you can't locate the owner, you must leave a note with the date, time, and your contact information.

Handbook p. 176 ↗
When calling 911 after a crash, what should you provide first to the dispatcher?
  1. The number of vehicles involved
  2. Your location, including landmarks or mile markers
  3. Your insurance policy number
  4. Your license plate number

Answer: Your location, including landmarks or mile markers

Clearly state your location first, including any close landmarks or mile markers.

Handbook p. 177 ↗
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