Auto collisions happen to a lot of drivers. It can happen any time and any where. When an accident occurs the moments after the accident can be the most important elements in being able to piece together what happened. One of the key factors in helping piece together any information from a car accident is any eye witnesses that saw the accident occur. As a motorist it is important to know why an eye witnesses can be important to an accident, and what type of information should be sought from the witness if there was one.

Eye witness testimony is important. Usually these people are independent from either side, and therefor have no vested interest in changing their side of the story for either party. Being able to get a witnesses account of the accident as close to when the accident occurred is important. Many witnesses' account of an accident can change over time, so the sooner the accounts are document the more accurate the information and details will be.

It is very important that if a witness to a car accident is around that the motorist gets the information of that witness. This includes: name, phone number, address, and possibly email address. All this information will allow any insurance company or police officer to contact the witness themselves. It is best that a witness stay at the scene of the accident to talk directly to the officers or insurance agent (if they are coming to the scene of the accident). However, a witness might not be able to stay due to time commitments or other priorities. In which case this information is key to contacting them in the future.

Most witnesses to auto accidents do come forward at the scene of the collision but sometimes witnesses do not always come forward. If gaining an eye witness account is important to the insurance company or the motorist there are a few ways that this can be achieved. Placing an ad in a newspaper citing where and when the accident occurred and for anyone who has any information or might have seen it to contact the insurance company or police station can be very helpful. In this more modern era placing an ad on a local website is also just as effective.