Why Witness Statements are so Important After a Car Accident

March 24, 2022 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury

Giving a statement after a car accident

If you’ve witnessed a car accident, the police or other authorities may ask you to provide a witness statement. 

It’s important that you follow these instructions and be as accurate as possible when providing a statement. 

Put simply, a car witness statement is a short description from someone who has witnessed a car accident explaining what happened.

The person must have witnessed the car accident with their own eyes to be considered a relevant source.

Witness statements, in any type of case, can be used by the police to help determine who is at fault for the car accident. 

They can also be used in court, should there be a dispute over which driver was at fault. 

As such, it’s important to remember what you saw and report all details accurately in your statement.

Understanding what a car accident witness statement is

Witnesses are vital in any car accident investigation. 

Perhaps the most important role they play, however, is to provide a statement that may be used in court. 

A witness statement can help determine who is at fault and can also help prove liability. 

However, there are some rules we recommend following when providing a statement after witnessing a car accident:

• All the information you provide should be true and accurate. 
• You should only provide a statement if you personally witnessed the accident and/or the events leading up to the accident
• Start with your name and contact information. Then, write about what you saw in chronological order, starting with where you were when the accident happened and then writing about each event that followed. 
• Be as descriptive as possible when writing your statement, providing detailed descriptions of things like sound and smell to help paint a picture for law enforcement officials.
• Always be honest with what you have seen. The consequences of misrepresenting your testimony can be severe, including criminal charges or even jail time.

What to include in your car accident witness statement

While the police officer handling the case will almost certainly give you details as to what you should include in your statement, we will share some things you may expect:

• Include the date and time of the accident.
• If you know either of the drivers, make sure you share that information
• Give a detailed account of what happened

Try to include as many details as possible, like the color of vehicles involved, specific information about where the incident occurred (near a stop sign or in an intersection), and whether there were any other people or vehicles involved in the accident. 

Why a car accident witness statement is important

A car accident witness statement is a statement by someone who has witnessed an automobile accident. 

The statement is made to the police or other authorities in order to provide a written account of what happened.

Witness statements are important for many reasons, but the most important is that they can provide the detail that law enforcement needs to determine who is at fault in the accident. A witness statement also proves that there was an accident and can be used in court if needed.

A witness statement can be challenging to write because it needs to be both accurate and read well. 

The guidelines provided in this article are intended to help you write an effective, accurate witness statement.

I have been in a car accident, what should I do now?

Car accident statistics show how often car accidents take place in the United States.

A car accident attorney will be able to help you weigh your options and examine your case.

Additionally, an attorney will be able to examine any witness statments provided to make sure they are consistent and thorough.