Help yourself at the scene of an accident by taking these five straightforward steps.

TIP #1: Get the medical attention you need as soon as possible. Call 9-1-1. Let trained medical professionals evaluate your injuries and take you to the hospital if needed.

TIP #2: When you speak to the police about the accident, tell the truth but only the truth. Many accident victims speculate about the extent of their injuries or the cause of the accident at a time when they are upset and may lack information. Anything you say to the police, even if it is only conjecture on your part, may show up in a police report. Limit your statement to the facts you know. Ask the attending police officer for his or her badge number.

TIP #3: If your injuries permit, get as much information as you can about any other vehicles involved in the accident. Get the driver's name; the car owner's name; the make, model, year, colour and condition of the vehicle; the vehicle's license plate number; the driver's and owner's addresses; and the name of the owner and operator's insurers. Much of this information is usually on the police report. Obtain the police report and store it for safe keeping.

TIP #4: Make notes about the accident scene, either at the scene or as soon as you can after leaving. Write down (a) the approximate address or cross street; (b) the orientation of the vehicles; (c) the direction any vehicle was turning; (d) the position the vehicles were stopped following the collision; (e) the temperature and weather, including whether the roads were bare; (f) the time of day and the position of the sun; (g) the condition of the road (cracks, bumps or holes); (h) signage on the roads, including the speed requirements; (i) the identification of any witnesses including names, addresses and telephone numbers. A photo is worth a 1000 words. Remember, many of us now have telephone cameras and can capture the scene that way.

TIP #5: Get the address of the compound to which any of the cars may have been towed... in case you need to find out more about the damage to any of the vehicles involved.

It may be tough for all accident victims to take all five of these steps. If you can manage, great! If not, your personal injury lawyer can help you collect the information you need.