This section deals with handling traffic accidents. Traffic accidents can be very intense and confusing for the people involved, along with the responding officers. It is necessary to be able to find out what caused the accident, who was involved, and if anyone is injured. This section also relates closely to the traffic and vehicles sections.

Important Phrases

There is certain information you need to find out as quickly and accurately as possible. These phrases will help you acquire that information.

Soy oficial de policía (SOH-ee oh-fee-see-AHL DEH poh-lee-SEE-ah) - I'm a police officer

Yo lo ayudaré (YOH LOH ah-yoo-dah-REH) - I will help you

¿Dónde le duele? (DOHN-deh LEH DWEH-leh) - Where are you hurt?

¿Cómo se siente? (KOH-moh SEH see-EHN-teh) - How do you feel?

¿Está sangrando? (eh-STAH sahn-GRAHN-doh) - Are you bleeding?

¿Estaba inconsciente? (eh-STAH-bah een-kohn-see-EHN-teh) - Were you unconscious?

Estará bien (eh-stah-RAH BEE-ehn) - You will be okay

¿Ha estado tomando? (AH eh-STAH-doh toh-MAHN-doh) - Have you been drinking?

Gathering Information

After all the vital questions have been asked, now it is time to gather information on the incident that occurred.

Dígamelo exactamente qué paso (DEE-gah-meh-loh ehks-ahk-tah-MEHN-teh KEH PAH-soh) - Tell me exactly what happened

Hablar más despacio (ah-BLAHR MAHS deh-SPAH-see-oh) - Speak slower

Una persona hable a la vez (OO-nah pehr-SOH-nah AH-bleh AH LAH VEHS) - One person speak at a time

Palabra por palabra (pah-LAH-brah POHR pah-LAH-brah) - Word for word

¿Tiene la licencia y el registro? (tee-EH-neh LAH lee-SEHN-see-ah EE EHL reh-HEES-troh) - Do you have your license and registration?

¿Tiene seguro? (tee-EH-neh seh-GOO-roh) - Do you have insurance?

¿Tiene la identificación? (tee-EH-neh LAH ee-dehn-tee-fee-kah-see-OHN) - Do you have identification?

¿Es el chofer o el pasajero? (EHS EHL choh-FEHR OH EHL pah-sah-HEH-roh) - Are you the driver or the passenger?

¿Estaba usando cinturón de seguridad? (eh-STAH-bah oo-SAHN-doh seen-too-ROHN DEH seh-goo-ree-DAHD) - Were you wearing your seat belt?

¿Cómo pasó esto? (KOH-moh pah-SOH EH-stoh) - How did this happen?

¿Adónde iba? (ah-DOHN-deh EE-bah) - Where were you going?

¿En qué dirección? (EHN KEH dee-rehk-see-OHN) - In which direction?

¿Quién es testigo? (kee-EHN EHS teh-STEE-goh) - Who is a witness?

¿Vio lo que pasó? (VEE-oh LOH KEH pah-SOH) - Did you see what happened?

¿Quién tenía la culpa? (kee-EHN teh-NEE-ah LAH KOOL-pah) - Who was at fault?

¿Quién lo chocó? (kee-EHN LOH choh-KOH) - Who hit you?

¿Cuántos vehículos? (KWAHN-tohs veh-EE-koo-lohs) - How many vehicles?

¿Quiere cambiar información? (kee-EH-reh kahm-bee-AHR een-fohr-mah-see-OHN) - Do you want to exchange information?

¿Quiere hacer un reporte? (kee-EH-reh ah-SEHR OON reh-POHR-teh) - Do you want to file a report?

How Did It Happen?

It is crucial to find out what caused the accident. There are many different reasons why a traffic accident may occur.

¿Tenía problemas mecánicos? (teh-NEE-ah proh-BLEH-mahs meh-KAHN-ee-kohs) - Did you have mechanical problems?

¿Perdió el control? (pehr-dee-OH EHL kohn-TROHL) - Did you lose control?

¿Fue un reventón? (FWEH OON reh-vehn-TOHN) - Was it a blowout?

¿Se durmió? (SEH door-mee-OH) - Did you fall asleep?

¿Frenó a tiempo? (freh-NOH AH tee-EHM-poh) - Did you brake on time?

¿Estaban prendidas las luces? (eh-STAH-bahn prehn-DEE-dahs LAHS LOO-sehs) - Were your lights on?

¿Señalizó? (seh-nyah-lee-SOH) - Did you signal?

¿Chocó y se dio a la fuga? (choh-KOH EE SEH DEE-oh AH LAH FOO-gah) - Was it a hit and run?

¿Estaba estacionado? (eh-STAH-bah eh-stah-see-oh-NAH-doh) - Was it parked?

¿Saltó del camino? (sahl-TOH DEHL kah-MEE-noh) - Did it run off the road?

Hit and Run

This section helps you gather information on the suspect vehicle involved in a hit and run accident.

¿Quién lo chocó? (kee-EHN LOH choh-KOH) - Who hit you?

¿Cuál es el número de la placa? (KWAHL EHS EHL NOO-meh-roh DEH LAH PLAH-kah) - What is the license plate number?

¿Cuál es el color? (KWAHL EHS EHL koh-LOHR) - What is the color?

¿Cuál es la marca? (KWAHL EHS EHL MAHR-kah) - What is the make?

¿Cuál es la modelo? (KWAHL EHS EHL moh-DEH-loh) - What is the model?

¿En qué dirección? (EHN KEH dee-rehk-see-OHN) - In which direction?

¿Iba al norte? (EE-bah AHL NOHR-teh) - Was it going north?

¿Iba al oeste? (EE-bah AHL oh-EH-steh) - Was it going west?

¿Iba al este? (EE-bah AHL EH-steh) - Was it going east?

¿Iba al sur? (EE-bah AHL SOOR) - Was it going south?