Safety First

The most important thing is to remain at the scene of an accident if your vehicle is involved. Send others for help especially if you are injured.

Worry first about the passengers in the vehicles and their immediate safety. Turn off ignition switches to avoid a risk of fire. Do not attempt to move seriously injured persons unless their vehicle is on fire.

Wait for the police and ambulances to arrive. (If you are in a remote area and there are significant injuries, attempt to minimize bleeding or administer CPR if necessary). Click here to register for the next American Red Cross CPR class.

What to Do Next

1. Get important information at the scene.
   In addition to getting information from other drivers, be sure to get at least the names and phone number of any witnesses or people who stopped to help.
   Print out the Accident Checklist and keep it with your vehicle's registration papers in your glove box. This form provides a helpful "fill in the blanks" record of the information you need to obtain.
2. Share only pertinent information at the scene.
   Provide your driver's license, registration, and contact information only to the other drivers, injured persons, or police officers. Do NOT discuss the circumstances of the accident with anyone except the police. Do NOT discuss responsibility with anyone except a positively identified representative of your insurance company.
3. Complete an Accident Record.
   Write down everything you can remember about the accident. Include as many details as possible. Revisit the scene at a later time if necessary to take pictures.
4. Report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
   Kansas State Law requires that all accidents involving injury or property damage in excess of $500.00 be reported within four (4) days to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Towing the Vehicle

City, county, and state police have a call list of towing operators that are approved by the State to tow from limited access highways and from county streets. These operators are licensed and bonded and experienced in towing late model vehicles to preclude further damage to your car.

Most automobile insurance policies include a nominal "towing" coverage, but you should be advised that the allowances provided in coverage do not always pay the towing bill in full. If your car is being towed long distances off the interstate, at odd hours, or in extreme weather conditions, there may be legitimate additional charges from the towing operator that may not be covered by your towing allowance.

If you are having your car towed to either Auto Masters Body Shop, do not worry about the tow bill. Tell the tow truck operator to tow the vehicle to one of our locations and we will pay the tow bill and add it to your repair bill.

Resolving liability and insurance coverage can take several days and in some serious accidents may take longer. Some towing operators and repair facilities charge a daily storage fee on your car while it is waiting to be repaired and these charges can add up quickly. It's important to note that Auto Masters Body Shop does NOT charge storage fees for vehicles towed to our properties while you are waiting for resolution on who is responsible for repairing your car.