Tallahassee Car Accident Information
There were over 5500 car accidents in Leon County during 2008. In fact, Leon County has over 200 car accidents per 100 million miles driven by people in that county, which was the second highest in the state (Miami-Dade was the top county with 220.2). The statewide average was 122.6 accidents per 100 million miles driven.
What that means is that a driver in Tallahassee is roughly 60% more likely to get in a car accident than the average driver in Florida for every mile they drive. Everyone thinks they are a safe driver and so they don’t need to worry, but no one leaves home in the morning planning to get into an accident. That’s why they call them accidents. While you can control your own driving you have no control over any of the other vehicles on the road, weather conditions, or any of the myriad other potential causes of a car accident.
What should I do if I am in a car accident?
The first and most important step is to look out for the safety of yourself, your loved ones, and anyone else who might have been involved in the accident. After the appropriate steps (moving the vehicles out of the road if they are still drivable, calling emergency services, etc.) have been taken to assure the safety of everyone involved, the decisions you make while at the scene can significantly influence your chances of getting the compensation you deserve.
Most importantly, remain cool and calm. Your goal at this stage is simply collecting information. Exchange information with the other driver(s) involved; also make sure get the names of any passengers in the other cars. If there are any witnesses, collect their names and contact information.
If you have a camera or a cameraphone with you, take pictures of all the cars involved and of the scene of the accident. Photograph any non-car objects that were involved like guard rails or telephone poles. If you don’t have a camera, try to obtain as much information as possible from observation and document it in whatever way you can.
Be honest while discussing the incident with responding police officers, but do not discuss the concept of fault or blame with anyone.
Even if you just feel a little sore and bruised, you should go to the emergency room. The adrenaline of being in a collision may be blocking out pain, and some back and neck injuries won’t be immediately apparent. Your health and safety always need to be your top priority. There are two hospitals in Tallahassee:
Capital Regional Medical Center in the northeast part of Tallahassee off Capital Circle NE
Tallahassee Memorial at the intersection of N. Magnolia Drive and Miccosukee Road.
After visiting the emergency room and being diagnosed and treated, you should call an attorney to make sure that someone with the experience and knowledge needed will be looking out for your interests against the other driver and their insurance companies.
My insurance card tells me to call my insurance company immediately; won’t I get in trouble if I wait?
You are under no obligation to report the accident to your insurance company immediately. You must always remember that while you are a customer of the insurance company, every employee of that insurance company you speak to owes a duty to their employer first and you second. The insurance company will look out for their own best interest; the only person who can be relied on to look out for you is YOU.
There are certainly some situations where calling the insurance company immediately is the wisest course of action. If you are in a one-car accident with no injuries (like sideswiping a guard rail) and the only reason you are using your insurance is to pay for repairs to your own automobile, involving the insurance company as quickly as possible will help move the process along.
However, if there is another vehicle involved, speaking to an attorney about the accident before talking to your insurance company can help you make educated decisions about the best course of action to take.
I’ve heard Florida is a “no-fault” state, why should I care who was to blame for the accident if everyone’s insurance company will pay their own damages?
The state government requires every Florida insurance policy to cover the first $10,000 of medical bills and lost wages caused by a car accident incurred by the policyholder (it does not include pain and suffering). That coverage is what makes Florida a “no-fault” state. Above that limit a determination of fault will affect civil liability, and while $10,000 might seem like a lot of money any injuries that require hospitalization or long term medical care can easily result in over $10,000 of costs.