Traffic Accident Evidence

After a traffic accident occurs, various legal procedures proceed, such as civil litigation, criminal punishment, and insurance proceeds claims, and in this process evidence clarifies the facts of the case and serves as the basis for legal judgment.

▶ Civil Litigation

When seeking compensation for damage or damages, evidence is critical to proving the cause of the accident and the proportion of responsibility.

▶ Criminal Proceedings

Evidence is also needed to prove whether an unlawful act, such as drunk driving (DUI) or speeding, took place.

▶ Insurance Processing

In order to determine whether insurance proceeds will be paid and to calculate the amount, the circumstances of the accident and the extent of the damage must be objectively proven.

Prompt and systematic securing of evidence is therefore an important factor that can determine the outcome in a legal response, and where evidence is lacking or insufficient, there is a significant risk that a party's rights may not be properly protected.

You should photograph all matters related to the accident from various angles, including the accident scene, the state of vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic lights and signs, and vehicle positions.

Photographs and video objectively show the situation at the time of the accident, and they play a decisive role in determining accident responsibility and fault.

In particular, because the damaged area or road condition may affect the cause of the accident, it is advisable to record them thoroughly.

Because a dashcam installed in a vehicle records the situation before and after an accident on video, it is key evidence for determining the cause of the accident.

Immediately after an accident, care should be taken not to delete or damage the dashcam footage, and a copy of the footage should be secured if necessary.

CCTV footage installed around the road where the accident occurred, on nearby buildings, or at traffic signals is important material that can objectively show the circumstances of the accident.

You can request the police or the competent local government to secure the CCTV footage, and because the footage may be deleted if the time of securing it is delayed, a prompt response is needed.

The statement of a witness who was present at the accident scene is very useful evidence for proving the circumstances of the accident.

If there is a witness, it is advisable to obtain their contact information and, if possible, to briefly note or record the situation at the time of the accident.

Because a witness statement increases objectivity when submitted to a court or an insurer, securing a reliable statement is important.

The police accident investigation report prepared after reporting the accident to the police, the receipt of report, and the accident report and damage-related documents submitted to the insurer are official records of the accident and are used as legal evidence.

When preparing the report, you should check it carefully so that there is no content that differs from the facts, and it is advisable to keep records of calls with the insurer and the filing details as evidence.

① Begin Collecting Evidence After Securing Safety

To prevent a secondary accident, move to a safe location or turn on the hazard lights and protect the accident scene.

② Take Photographs and Video

Photograph the damaged area of the vehicle, the road conditions, traffic lights, signs, and the position of the other vehicle from various angles.

③ Check and Save Dashcam Footage

Check whether the vehicle dashcam is operating, and save the footage related to the accident so that it is not deleted.

④ Identify Witnesses and Obtain Contact Information

If there is a witness who was at the accident scene, obtain their contact information and briefly note the content of their statement.

⑤ Report to the Police and Request an Accident Record

Report the accident to the police at once so that an official accident investigation report is prepared, and obtain the report number.

⑥ Report to the Insurer

Notify the insurer of the accident promptly and keep the receipt of report.

① Comply With Privacy and Personal Information Protection

Take care not to photograph or disclose the personal information of other vehicle drivers or witnesses without authorization.

② Prohibition of Unlawful Acts

You must not commit unlawful acts at the accident scene, such as copying CCTV footage without authorization or approaching another person's vehicle without permission and causing damage to it.

③ Confirm Authority to Collect Evidence

For video material managed by a third party, such as CCTV, it is advisable to secure it through the formal procedure via the police or the competent authority.

④ Prohibition of False Evidence

Fabricating evidence contrary to the facts or making a false statement may be subject to criminal punishment, so it must never be done.

▶ Securing Additional Nearby CCTV and Dashcam Footage

Promptly request CCTV footage installed at shops, apartments, and roadsides near the accident scene through the competent police station or local government.

▶ Requesting to Check the Dashcams of Nearby Vehicles

If there is dashcam footage from a vehicle that was nearby at the time of the accident, you can request the cooperation of the owner to understand the circumstances of the accident.

▶ Searching for Additional Witnesses

Find witnesses who were at the scene at the time of the accident, such as passersby, nearby shop employees, and taxi drivers, obtain their contact information, and take their statements.

▶ Securing Medical Records and Treatment Progress

Use hospital treatment records after the accident, medical certificates, and records of the course of treatment as evidence to prove the extent of the damage.

In a situation where traffic accident evidence is insufficient, obtaining expert assistance can be a very effective response strategy.

In the chaotic situation immediately after an accident, it is realistically not easy to collect all evidence perfectly, and as time passes the very possibility of securing evidence decreases, for example as CCTV footage is deleted.

Above all, in disputes related to traffic accidents, evidence goes beyond mere material and becomes a key tool for proving the facts and where responsibility lies.

Therefore, in order to supplement insufficient evidence and to organize it in a manner that satisfies the legal requirements, systematic legal assistance and technical support should proceed together.

This firm operates its own Evidence Investigation Center and Digital Forensics Center, and it provides step-by-step support throughout the entire process, from evidence collection to analysis, beyond mere legal advisory.

If you are experiencing difficulty in securing traffic accident evidence, you may at any time 🔗traffic accident attorneywork together to establish a strategy suited to the case.