The first thing to do after a tractor trailer accident is to make sure everyone involved is uninjured and moved out of the flow of traffic to prevent additional accidents from occurring. Next, the police will need to be called so that an accident report can be filed, and photos of the accident and any resulting damage should be taken if a camera is available. The owner or manager of the company employing the driver of the tractor trailer should also be notified. Insurance claims should be filed either the same day or the next day.
The most important thing after a tractor trailer accident is to ensure that all passengers involved are safe and uninjured. If injuries have occurred, local emergency services should be called immediately so that an ambulance can be sent as soon as possible. It is also important to move any individuals out of the road if there is any danger of being hit by an oncoming car or truck. If traffic has stalled or is moving slowly around the accident site, injured parties should be left where they are to avoid further damage.
If no one is injured, the police will need to be called so that an accident report can be filed. In accidents which do involve injuries, emergency personnel will dispatch police at the same time they dispatch the ambulance. When the police arrive, a detailed description of the accident will be given by each driver involved. This will help the police officers determine who was at fault and whether or not any legal action is needed.
The driver of the tractor trailer should also contact his or her superiors if he or she was driving on a paid assignment or for a particular company. This will allow arrangements to be made if items beings hauled will be late or if they were severely damaged in the accident. If the driver was far from home, he or she will also need to make arrangements to get back.
Within a day or two of a tractor trailer accident, each driver's insurance company should be contacted so that claims can be made for payment of damages to vehicles and to cover any injuries. Those without insurance will be liable for any damages suffered by the driver and passengers of the other vehicle, unless the driver is charged with a crime related to the accident.
If any drivers involved were found to be driving without the proper licensing or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, addition proceedings may be made. This can involve both civil and criminal charges in the case of intoxication, and fines or even jail time for driving without a license. The driver of the tractor trailer may be penalized with his or her employer if faulted as the cause of the accident.