A car accident can happen in the blink of an eye. It can be jarring and scary, and sometimes it’s hard to know what to do when it actually happens. However, the important thing is to remain calm, and get help. First, move your car out of the way safely so that you don’t cause any more accidents. Check for injuries within your car and the other car. Call the police and report the accident. And finally, take down the information of the other driver and take pictures of everything. You’ll need to take good notes on everything for when you eventually file a claim with your insurance provider. Hopefully, knowing what to do in the event of an accident can keep you calmer if it ever happens to you.
Car Accident 101: What to Do If It Happens to You on the Road
Get Out of the Way
The first thing to do after a car accident is to get out of the way safely. You are now a hazard on the road to other drivers. So you’ll want to make sure that you’ve gotten to a safe area. Try to drive your car off to the shoulder of the road so that you aren’t blocking traffic. Turn on your hazard lights so that cars know to go around you.
Check For Injuries
Checking for injuries is another important step to take after a car accident. If you feel that you are severely injured, don’t try to move. Especially if you feel any pain in your neck, back, or lower spine. If this is the case, moving could cause even more damage. Just call for an ambulance and remain still. If you feel uninjured, check on your other passengers and anybody in another car if it was a two-car accident. Call for help immediately if anybody seems hurt.
Call for Help
Next, after an accident, you’ll need to call the police to report the accident. They can help make a record of the accident itself. They may ask bystanders questions about what they saw. It’s best to try not to move or touch anything too much until they’ve come out and taken their report. It’s really best to call the police about an accident, even if it seems like a minor one.
Record Keeping
Finally, you’ll want to keep an accurate record of everything after a car accident. This will help you later when you are trying to file an insurance claim. Make sure and take down the information of the other driver. Get their name, phone number, insurance carrier, and
any other information you think you might need later. In addition, take pictures of everything at the accident.
Being prepared for a car accident is an important part of being a good
defensive driver. Remain calm and try to move your car out of the way of oncoming traffic. This can help reduce the chances of causing even more cars to collide. Check to make sure that nobody is severely injured. If there are injuries, call for an ambulance immediately and never try to move anybody with spinal pain. Call the police and report the accident. And finally, make note of everything with pictures, and get the other drivers’ information. This will help you later when you file a claim with your insurance provider. Hopefully, you’ll never need to know any of this information. Car accidents can be very frightening, but knowing what to if you are in one can keep you calmer if it ever does happen.
