A car crash is a scary experience for anyone, one that can create panic and high emotions. Even a minor fender bender can leave you feeling shaken.
In the immediate wake of an accident, would you know what to do?
You’ll want to keep the following in mind if you are involved in a crash or collision:
Stay calm, but take action
Take a deep breath and try to stay calm. Is anyone in your vehicle or the other vehicles injured? React immediately by ensuring the scene is safe and help those in need. Enlist the help of bystanders that may be able to help with medical care.
Call 911 immediately or instruct someone else to do so. Even if there isn’t much damage to the vehicles, a police report of the accident may be beneficial for your insurance company as a record of the event.
Remove the vehicles from the roadway if possible but remain at the scene.
Gather necessary information
Exchange important information with the other drivers at the scene. You’ll want to be sure you get names and phone numbers, driver’s license information and insurance company information.
In addition, you’ll also want to record details about the scene for later reference:
- A description of the event, including the time that it occurred.
- The weather conditions at the time.
- A description of damage and injuries.
If it is safe to do so, take photos of the accident scene as soon as possible to record the damage to vehicles and property, the license plates, and information about the location. Having the pictures will help you to accurately recall the information at a later point.
Avoid in-depth conversation with the other drivers and keep the conversation light. Only talk about the facts of the accident and avoid blaming, questioning or apologizing–you don’t want to incriminate yourself in any way.
Further action
Create a file with everything related to the accident so that you can stay organized and have the information accessible when needed. A car accident will generate a lot of paperwork that you’ll need to keep track of, including insurance information, medical claim information, witness accounts and police reports.
If someone was injured or there was significant property damage, contact an attorney as legal counsel can advise you on the best course of action moving forward.
