Short answer
Get emergency and medical help first. When possible, preserve the exact location, travel directions, traffic controls, lighting, clothing, vehicle information, witness contacts, photographs, and nearby camera locations. A pedestrian should not have to prove the entire event from memory alone.
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Anchor the story to the exact place
Record the closest address, intersection, driveway, parking-lot aisle, crosswalk, transit stop, or landmark. Note which direction the pedestrian and vehicle were moving and where each came to rest if known. A rough sketch can be useful when it is labeled as a memory aid rather than a precise measurement.
Photograph signals, signs, lane markings, curb ramps, lighting, construction, and blocked sight lines when it can be done safely. Conditions may look different by time of day, weather, season, or later repairs.
The clearest witness may be a camera no one has asked about
Nearby businesses, homes, buses, vehicles, intersections, or doorbell systems may have captured part of the event. Write down camera locations even if you do not have the footage. Witness names and contact information are often easier to preserve early than to recover later.
Do not trespass, pressure a witness, or make a dangerous roadside search. If footage may disappear, ask a lawyer about a safe and appropriate way to request or preserve it.
- Witness names and contact details
- Nearby camera and business locations
- Traffic signal, sign and crosswalk photographs
- Vehicle and driver information
- Emergency-response and incident-report references
Record how the collision changed the next ordinary day
Pedestrian injuries can change how a person gets to work, school, treatment, caregiving, or ordinary errands. Save receipts for rides, mobility aids, parking, help, or replacement items, and keep work or school notes. Do not exaggerate; a short factual record is enough.
Medical symptoms and recovery should be discussed with qualified providers. The website does not offer medical advice, and the initial form should not include detailed medical records.
Do not let one statement become the whole account
Statements about a crosswalk, signal, clothing, distraction, visibility, or speed should be compared with the physical scene and available records. The honest answer may include uncertainty; it should not turn one person's statement into a conclusion.
If you are helping an injured family member, identify your relationship and the best contact person. Do not submit another person's sensitive details without a clear reason and permission.
Why you can check the answer
See the law and official information behind this page.
These references support the general law, official process, or practical advice described here. They cannot decide how a rule, policy, document, or deadline applies to your particular facts.
Written and reviewed by Jason Hicks.
Reviewed . Next review due .
- 405 editorial method
405 Injury Law neutral record-organization methodology (internal; not legal authority)
405’s internal method for organizing records, separating observations from inferences, and identifying the next question. It is not legal, medical, or insurance authority.
- Oklahoma law
Oklahoma Statutes Title 47, crash exchange, notice, and reporting provisions (official external source)
The Oklahoma statutes used to distinguish at-scene exchange, immediate law-enforcement notice, and a separate driver-reporting process from a later request for an agency report. The summary is not a complete statement of duties or exceptions.
Pinpoint: Sections 10-104, 10-107, and 10-108
See how 405 checks important legal and official information.
What to gather
- Exact location and travel-direction notes
- Signals, signs, lighting and sight-line photographs
- Witness and nearby camera locations
- Vehicle, driver and incident-report information
- Medical, work, school and transportation records
Questions that may change the answer
- Where exactly did the movement and impact occur?
- What traffic controls and lighting were present?
- Which witnesses or cameras may be independent?
- How have mobility, work, school or transportation changed?
Common questions
What if the collision happened outside a marked crosswalk?
Location is one fact, not a complete conclusion. Travel paths, visibility, signals, speed, attention, roadway design, and applicable law still need a fact-specific review.
How can I find camera footage?
First list visible cameras and nearby properties without trespassing. Footage practices vary, so prompt, respectful preservation steps may be worth discussing.
Can a family member submit the first message?
Yes, the message can explain that the injured person needs help communicating. Share only the minimum needed and identify who should be contacted.