Pennsylvania Drivers Urged to be Aware of Information Exchanged After a Car Accident

Our Pennsylvania car accident attorneys encourage all drivers to do the right thing after a car accident: stop, assist others involved, call the police, exchange information with others, and contact your doctor.  All of these are key steps to help minimize the stresses associated with being in a car crash and to help ensure that all legal processes are completed.

However, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) while it is important that anyone that has been in an accident shares appropriate information, it is critical that they not share too much information and risk putting themselves in jeopardy of identity theft.

The NAIC, the U.S. standard-setting and regulatory support organization created and governed by the chief insurance regulators in the U.S., reports identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the U.S. Federal statistics estimate nearly 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year.

“The last thing you’re probably thinking about following a car accident is protecting your privacy,” says NAIC President and Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin M. McCarty. “Understanding what information to share, and with whom, will help keep you safe after an accident and decrease some of the challenges of filing a claim later on.”

NAIC offers WreckCheck, a smartphone app that provides a checklist to follow after an accident. Users can take photos of the scene, document information about the accident and the accident site, record information about vehicles involved and other drivers in the accident. An accident victim can follow the checklist to ensure all information is collected.  The app then creates an accident report from the information.

NAIC stresses that drivers do not share driver’s licenses and to especially not allow someone to photograph your driver’s license.  Additional information included on the driver’s license, such as date of birth, is not needed in the case of an accident and could be a source of identity theft. NAIC suggests following the requirements of the state when exchanging information.

Pennsylvania law requires drivers in accidents to share the following information:

• Name, address, and contact details.
• Driver license number.
• License plate number of the vehicles involved.
• Auto insurance information for the motorists involved.

Our PA auto accident attorneys ask that drivers follow Pennsylvania law and exchange appropriate information.  We also ask that the information be protected and used only for the benefit of resolving the accident claim.

If you have been in an accident, it is important to contact a PA attorney to ensure your rights are protected.

About Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys

Munley Law is a Pennsylvania accident and injury law firm that represents car accident victims and their families throughout the state of Pennsylvania and the Northeast, including those injured in accidents that involve speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, fatigued driving, aggressive driving and careless driving in hazardous weather conditions. The Pennsylvania personal injury law firm’s additional practice areas include trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, toxic chemicals, workplace injuries, nursing home litigation and other serious accidents. To contact the law firm, use the firm’s online contact form.