Getting into a car accident is a very stressful situation to be in. The feelings that arise when you get into a fender bender or something worse can skew your line of thinking, but it’s important to remember to protect yourself after the accident.
Here are a few tips that will help you protect yourself should you find yourself in a car accident:
Check for Injuries
Safety always comes first — make sure you check yourself and any passengers that were in the car with you for injuries. If someone has sustained an injury, call for an ambulance.
Move to Safety
If no one in the car has been injured and your car can still move, try to position it to a safe area on the side of the road or onto a side street. Leaving it in the middle of the road increases the risk for more people to get into a crash as a result of yours. If your car can’t move, then leave it and get yourself and your passengers to a safe area.
Call Authorities
Once you’re safe and able to, call the police as soon as you can. This is not necessarily to get anyone in trouble — unless you feel it is — but to get the police to document the scene and file a report. Even if you don’t call the police, you should still file a report at the police station.
The main reason for this is that when you file a claim with your insurance company, they will likely ask for a copy of the police report for their files. With no proof of an accident, you may run into trouble filing a claim.
Check on Other Driver, Exchange Information
If your car crash involved another vehicle, check on them to make sure they aren’t injured. If they’re injured, call an ambulance. But if they’re fine, make sure you exchange information with them. This includes trading names, contact information, insurance information, driver’s license numbers, and license plate numbers. You may need this information when you’re filing a report or claim later.
Document the Crash
Take photos of the damage and the crash scene. Get the police report number. Talk to any witnesses who saw the crash and get their information. Draw a diagram of the crash if you have to. This information may prove valuable later, such as when you’re filing a claim with your insurance company or if a case concerning the crash goes to court.
Study Your Insurance
Find out what your insurance covers under your current plan. You should know this before the accident ever happens. If the accident is enough to take your car into the shop or junkyard, you’ll want to know things such as whether your insurance plan covers the cost of a rental car or the towing company bill.
It’s important to try and remain calm through this entire process. Panic doesn’t help any situation, and it can make you miss some of these valuable steps. As long as you follow this guide, you should be protected the next time you get in a crash.
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