When people get into car accidents, they don't always know exactly what to do or what steps to take. If it's a small fender bender, they may be tempted to exchange each other's information and go their separate ways, especially if their cars can still be driven and they're on their way to work or someplace important.

But, is it a good idea not to call the police? Generally, it's much better to call the police and have them write up an accident report than not to call them and there's reasons for this. For one, who's to say the other driver won't give you false information? Or, the other driver may say that they're "sorry" for causing the accident, but when they call their insurance carrier, they blame the accident on you.

Since you don't know the other driver or how honest they are, you're better off calling the police to document the accident, especially when the other driver was the one at-fault.

Always Have the Police File an Accident Report

The details of a car accident can get hazy, especially if you were hurt, or if your nerves were rattled by the accident. When you call the police to the scene, they are able to document accurate information about the accident immediately after it happened.

When memories get foggy, insurance adjusters can look to the accident report for unbiased information from the police officer who was called to the scene. Other benefits of an accident report, include:

• Insurance adjusters can look at the report to determine fault,
• The report can determine financial responsibility,
• The report can clearly indicate who is at-fault for the accident,
• The report can help speed up the claims process, and
• You are protected from a driver who may want to provide false identifying information, such as a fake driver's license or a fake insurance card.

Even if you find yourself in a minor car accident with minimal property damage, you still want to ensure that you have an accident report filed. In many cases, a driver is in a seemingly minor accident and then they find out that the damage is much more expensive than they originally thought.

If you were injured in a car accident, be sure to speak with a car accident attorney about the best way to file a claim for compensation. To find a lawyer near you, scroll through our directory!