A car crash can be a traumatic experience, but there are certain things you should remember to do if ever you are in an accident to ensure the safety of all involved and to protect yourself financially in the long-run. Here are some of the most important things to do immediately after an accident, regardless of who you think was responsible for the accident.
Take a Minute to Calm Down
Before you do anything else, you should take a few breaths to calm yourself down. Emotions run high after an accident and you may feel shock, fear, guilt, anger and any number of other emotions which could cloud your judgement or cause you to act rashly when dealing with others who were involved in the accident.
Health and Safety Come First
If you are in pain or think you have been injured in the crash, turn on your hazard lights to alert other road users and call the emergency services. If you don’t think you’ve been injured, you can try to pull in off the road to avoid causing further accidents. Once you are sure you are uninjured and you have taken precautions to avoid another accident, check to see if anyone else involved in the accident sustained injuries. If so, call emergency services on their behalf and talk to them to help them stay calm.
Compiling Information on the Accident
Once everyone’s health and safety has been attended to, you should gather information on the accident for your own records. Witnesses tend to disperse quickly once the emergency services arrive, so get their details before they do in case you need to call on them to recount what they saw. You should also exchange information with any other vehicle drivers involved in the accident. It’s advisable to get their name, address, telephone number, insurance details and license plate number, as you will need these details if you are making an insurance claim.
It’s also a good idea to write down other details of the accident such as the positioning of the cars on the road, weather conditions, the exact time of the collision and so on. As most mobile phones have in-built cameras these days, you should be able to take photographs of the crash site, damage to the cars and, when you get home, any injuries sustained. All of this information could come in handy if you end up in court or have to make an insurance claim.
As anyone who has been in a car accident will know, it can be a very upsetting experience, even if nobody is injured in the crash, so take steps to reduce your risk of being in an accident such as getting your car serviced regularly, keeping your attention on the road at all times and never driving under the influence of alcohol.
This article was written by auto industry blogger Sandra Brown who gets an Opel service regularly for her car to ensure it is roadworthy.
What To Do In The Event Of A Car Crash
