Maryland Car Accident "Just in Case" Kit: Maryland Drivers, Keep These Key Things in Your Glove Box
Drivers navigating the highways, bridges, and roads of the Greater Baltimore Maryland and Mid Atlantic area don't like to think about being in a motor vehicle accident. No one does.
As a Maryland car accident lawyer representing people who've been injured in vehicle crashes for many years, no one I've known ever planned to have a car accident on the way to work on the Baltimore Beltway I-695 or on a bridge crossing Baltimore Harbor. They didn't plan to have a car crash half a mile from home while going out for pizza. But car and truck accidents do happen, and there are some things you should keep in your vehicle "just in case." Being prepared can make all the difference in coming out on the other end of your Maryland car accident in better shape.
License, Registration, and Proof of Insurance
The State of Maryland requires all drivers to keep their vehicle registration and proof of insurance in their car, van or SUV at all times. Most Maryland drivers know they need to have their driver's license on them and their registration in the glove box, but many don't know they also need proof of insurance -- that little slip of paper the auto insurance company gives you when you renew your policy every year. If you don't have it, that's a ticketable offense. You've already been in a car or truck accident, you don't need a ticket to add insult to injury.
A Picture Tells the Story (And So Does the Debris)
Buy one of those disposable cameras at the drug store and throw it in your glove box. They only cost a few bucks, and that way if you are in a car accident in Maryland, you can photograph and preserve the evidence before the police and the fire crews sweep the debris away. (You can use a cell phone camera if you don't have anything else on hand, though the pictures taken by cell phones aren't always the best quality.)
The plastic, glass, and other debris at an accident scene falls exactly where the crash occurred. If you survive your accident and it's safe to take pictures, do so. That way, when the other guy points the finger at you and says, "You swerved into my lane," your photos will show otherwise. (At the same time, if debris from your car is 4 feet into his lane, you're in trouble.) Keep a pen and pad of paper in your glove box, too, to record important information.
Next installment of "Help! I've Been in An Accident!" will cover why you must always call the police if you're in a car accident. It's the right thing to do -- and the safe thing for you.
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