Car accidents are quite a common sight these days. Accidents can take place at any moment of your life and it is always best to be prepared. Here is some invaluable advice to help you in case you get involved in a vehicular accident.
Image Courtesy: Aaron Parecki
Be Prepared
Carry a copy of all your relevant insurance information with you every time you leave the house. Also make sure you have a set of cones, emergency flares or warning triangles in the trunk of your car. This is guaranteed to save you a lot of time and trouble if an accident were to take place. A paper pad and pen is also useful to pen down any essential medical information.
What to do directly after an accident?
Being clear-headed is essential. These tips will help you to stay in control of the situation.
- Stay calm and do not panic.
- Assess your injuries or those of your passengers. If things look serious, call an ambulance right away! Do not try to move an injured passenger.
- Assess the criticality of the accident. If it isn’t too bad, move your car out of the path of incoming traffic, to a safer place.
- Take out your emergency flares, warning triangles or cones to alert others about the accident. Also put on the car’s hazard lights.
- Regardless of whether the accident is major or minor, call the police right away. Also if you suspect the drivers are drunk or drugged, do not hesitate to tell the cops and make a complaint!
- If police do not report to the scene of the accident, you could go to a Collision Reporting Center or the nearest police station and file a complaint. These centers are established to help drivers to report any auto accidents that take place.
What to do after the danger has passed?
- It is also imperative that you inform your insurance agent immediately after the danger has passed.
- Make sure you don’t sign any documents unless you are asked to do so by the police or your insurance agent.
- Take note of all the damage caused by the accident. Gather information from witnesses.
- Check the name of the person the other car involved in the accident is registered to.
- Be polite, but do not make any statements declaring it was your fault or promise to pay any amount for damage caused.
- Wait until the police and your insurance agent get to the scene of the accident before making any statements and do not leave before they arrive.
This article was originally published on CarCluster Blog.
