I Just Got Into a Minor Accident, Now What? Next Steps After a Collision
Look for Injuries
The first thing to do after getting into a minor accident is to assess yourself for injuries. You should be able to feel any major problems right away. If you think you might have injured your neck, back, or spine does not move. Call the emergency services and wait where you are without moving your body at all. Moving any sort of spinal injury can cause severe damage. Take stock of your passengers or pets in the car to make sure they are not hurt. If you’re able, you can ask whether the other driver has any injuries and needs you to call an ambulance.
Get Out of the Way
The next thing to do after a minor accident where you are unharmed is to get out of the way of oncoming traffic. It’s not a bad idea to get a quick picture or two of the collision site if it’s safe before moving your car. However, if your car is creating a dangerous situation for other drivers, move it as quickly as you can. Move your vehicle safely off the road.
Call the Police
You should always call the police after any collisions, even minor accidents. They’ll need to make a report of the incident. It’s best to do this right away while the memory of what happened is still fresh in everybody’s minds. You may need this report later when you file a claim with your car insurance carrier. The police might interview onlookers.
Prepare for Insurance Claim
Finally, after a minor accident, you’ll want to exchange information with the other driver so that your insurance companies can get to work. You should get their contact info and insurance information. It’s easiest to take a photo of their driver’s license and insurance card. That way you won’t be trying to decipher scribbled notes later. You might also want to get the contact info for any witnesses. You should also take photos of any damage to either car and photos of the scene. Try to get plenty of angles. Your insurance company might request them.
Getting into a collision, even a minor accident, can be very scary. It’s important to know what steps to take in case it happens to you so that you can remain calm. First, assess any injuries to yourself, your passengers, or people in the other car. Next, you’ll want to safely move your cars out of the path of oncoming traffic. Call the police so that they can file a report. And finally, document everything and get the contact information of the other driver and witnesses. This will help you later when you are dealing with insurance questions. Hopefully, you won’t get into an accident, but you’ll at least be better prepared if it does ever happen to you.
