Accident Procedures and Reporting

If you’re involved in an accident while driving a vehicle owned, leased or rented by the university, there are certain steps you must follow and reports you must file.

Failure to follow the procedures and reporting requirements below can result in insurance coverage being declined, and all financial liabilities for personal injuries and property damage being the responsibility of the vehicle driver.

The driver must report all motor vehicle accidents within 24 hours that involve bodily injury and/or the damage or destruction of university property or the property of others to Transportation Services and the employee’s immediate supervisor.

If You’re in an Accident

Follow these steps if you’re involved in an accident while driving a university vehicle:

• 1

  Notify the Appropriate Parties

  Call 911 to report the accident to the authorities. As soon as the scene has been secured and emergency services have been notified, call Transportation Services at 815-753-1558. If after hours, call 815-753-1559.

• 2

  Assess and Secure the Scene

  Check on the people involved in the accident. Don’t admit fault or make any agreements with the other driver at the scene.

  Leave the scene intact if it’s a major accident or if there are injuries. Secure the scene against further collisions or injuries. If the accident is minor and there are no injuries, move the vehicles off the road or to the side, if you can safely do so.

  Take pictures from the scene. You may want to take pictures of license plates, traffic control devices, damage to vehicles, the location of the vehicles and the general area.

• 3

  Work With Responding Authorities

  Meet regulatory requirements (if any) for blood alcohol testing. Stay at the scene until the responding police officer has completed their report.

• 4

  Collect Information

  Collect the following information at the scene. Much of this may come from the police officer’s report.

  • Your name, address and phone number
  • Your driver’s license number, license plate number and the make and model of your vehicle
  • Name of other parties' insurance carrier and policy number
  • Names, addresses and phone numbers of all other involved parties, including passengers
  • Names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses
  • Date and time of the accident
  • Location of the accident, such as intersection or milepost
  • Information on to whom the involved vehicles are registered; for example, an organization, the driver, another individual or a rental agency
  • Name, agency, phone number and badge/ID number of the responding police officer
• 5

  Report the Accident

  Complete and submit the necessary reports according to the requirements below.

  Reporting Requirements

  You must report any accident you’re involved with to Transportation Services, as well as the appropriate police agency, by the following business day. You must report the accident, whether or not property damage or injury occurred.

  You must also complete the NIU Transportation Department Accident Report packet (Transportation Accident Report and CMS Auto Liability Claim Intake Form) and return the documentation to Transportation Services within five calendar days. Contact Transportation Services at 815-753-1558 or transportation@niu.edu to obtain the forms.

  In addition, you must complete and submit an Illinois motorist report within 10 days if either of the following conditions apply:

  • Injury or death of any person
  • Damage to the property of any person, including yourself, in excess of $1,500 (or $500 if any vehicle is not covered by a liability insurance policy)

  This report is provided by the police officer who responded to the scene. The mailing address will be on the report. You do not need to submit a copy of this report to Transportation Services.