Editorial policy

Who writes our guides

Every page is written and edited by The Accident Advisory editorial team, and every page carries the same byline: the editorial team, the date it was last updated and the number of sources it cites. We don’t put names, titles or credentials on pages to suggest an outside expert checked them. The authority of a page comes from the sources it cites, which you can check yourself.

How we research

Every guide starts from primary sources: state statutes and court records, federal and state agencies (such as NHTSA, FMCSA, the CDC and state departments of insurance and labor), and court dockets such as the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. Where we describe how a law works, we point to the statute or official guidance itself rather than to a secondhand summary.

• The statute first. A law firm’s blog post isn’t a source.
• Every figure shows its source and year. If we can’t source a number, we don’t publish it.
• State facts carry a “last checked” date. A state value we haven’t checked against its statute is left out rather than guessed.

How we write

We write in plain English and lead with the answer: every guide starts with “The short answer”. Our voice is calm and honest. We tell you when you probably don’t need a lawyer, and we never use pressure, countdowns or alarm. We cover the whole aftermath of a vehicle accident, not only the parts that might become a claim.

How we update

Every page shows when it was last updated. We revisit pages when the law, official guidance or court records change, and on a regular cycle. Laws differ by state and change over time, so check anything time-sensitive against your own state’s page, where each rule shows the date we last checked it.

Our use of AI tools

We use AI tools to help research, draft and structure our content. Every page is checked by our editorial team against the sources it cites before it’s published: AI helps with the work, but it doesn’t replace editorial judgement or accountability. AI-assisted content is held to the same sourcing and accuracy rules as everything else.

What we don't publish

• Estimates of what a claim is worth, settlement figures or tools that estimate them.
• Recommendations of a particular lawyer or law firm.
• Legal facts, such as deadlines or fault rules, that we haven’t checked against a current source.
• Pages that repeat the same text with only a state’s name changed.

Independence

Our content is written for readers first. No one pays to be featured, to change what we publish or to get a better position on any page.

Corrections

When we find an error or something out of date, we check the sources, fix the page and update its date.

The Accident Advisory provides free, general information and is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Using this site does not create an attorney–client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney licensed in your state.