As we travel from Clayton County in the south to Fulton County in the north, we know our chances of being involved in a car accident in the metro Atlanta area is high. Between irate or distracted drivers and heavy traffic, we all feel the stress of driving in the Atlanta area. If only Georgia drivers were as friendly and hospitable behind the wheel of a car as they are in person. In 2006, the last date for which data is available, 133,399 people were injured in car accidents in Georgia. Of those injured in accidents, over 6000 were seriously injured.
But what do you do when you are involved in a car accident, especially one with injuries? Often, your first reaction is confusion and fear. I have put together some general guidelines that I hope will help if you are ever in the unfortunate position of being involved in a car accident, especially with injuries.
1. First, take care of the injuries. Make sure you and others are okay and get to a safe place, off the road and away from the cars, then call 911. Don't stay in a vehicle that is in the middle of a roadway. If it is possible to safely move the vehicles out of traffic then do so. 
2. If everyone is okay, then exchange information with the other driver, but don't discuss the accident. When talking to the police or highway patrol about the accident, be truthful, but don't guess. Avoid apologizing, making statements like "I didn't see you," or anything that later on, once the investigation has been completed, could be taken as an admission of fault.
3. Notify your insurance company. Before you have an accident, it is important to review your policy to find out how much and what kind of coverage you have.
4. If you are injured, seek medical assistance. Sometimes you are in shock and may not even realize you are injured. It never hurts to visit the hospital and be checked out.
5. Request a copy of the car accident report for your records.
6. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, you may need to contact an attorney as soon as possible to preserve your rights. An attorney can investigate the accident and work to preserve evidence that might otherwise be lost.
More resources:
To deciper codes on an car accident report use the Georgia Uniform Motor Vehicle Accident Report Overlay codes.
If you are in an accident without injuries and do not call the police, you may use the Georgia Personal Accident Report Form to collect the information you need.
