You never expect to find yourself in a car accident when you get behind the wheel. However, thousands of road traffic incidents occur every year. Even with a vehicle that has a long life expectancy and the latest safety features, you can still find yourself in a collision on the roads.
As awful as it is to think about getting into a road traffic accident, it’s important for every driver to know what to do if an incident occurs. If you’re not sure how to react after an accident, it can make the situation even scarier and overwhelming.
Steps to Take Immediately After the Car Accident
Before you call a professional car accident attorney, there are a number of steps that you need to take immediately after a car accident. Below, we have listed some of the vital steps that you need to take:
- Pull over to the side of the road or highway if it is possible to do so safely.
- Turn off your car’s engine and turn on all of the hazard lights. This will warn other drivers that you are parked on the side of the road, so they can drive past with extra caution.
- Get out of the car and help your passengers out of the vehicle. If somebody is stuck inside the vehicle, you will need to call emergency services. Do not attempt to pull the person out of the car yourself as this could cause them more harm.
- Take note of any injuries that you or your passengers have sustained, and take pictures with your smartphone if possible.
- Exchange contact details with the other driver or drivers who have been involved in the accident. Take their name, phone number, vehicle registration numbers, and details of their insurance providers.
- Write down everything that happened leading up to and during the accident either on your phone or on a piece of paper.
- Do not apologize to the other drivers and try not to discuss any details of the accident. If you don’t want to say something that could be used against you if the other drivers make a claim.
Steps to Take in the Week Following the Accident
Once you and your passengers are safely home, there are a few more things that you need to do after the accident.
If anybody has been injured, you may need to contact the police to inform them of what has happened. Make sure to use the notes that you wrote down at the scene of the accident to provide an accurate report to the police.
You should also contact your car insurance provider. They will liaise with the other drivers’ insurance providers to determine who is at fault and who is entitled to compensation. If you have a dash cam in your vehicle, the police and insurance companies may use this footage when investigating the incident.
You should also contact a car accident attorney as soon as possible. An expert attorney will be able to help you create a strong claim so that you can gain compensation for your injuries and damages.
