The odds are not in your favor when it comes to car accidents. During your lifetime, you have a 77% chance of being involved in a car accident. If you plan to travel more than 1,000 miles on a trip, you have a 1 in 36 chance of being in an accident.
The idea of getting into a car accident isn’t a good one. But if it happens to you, you should know what to do to protect yourself and make sure you have the information you need before leaving the scene.
While you never want to plan for an accident, it’s good to have the knowledge just in case. Read on to learn what you need to know if you’re involved in an automobile accident.
Know Your Coverage Before an Accident Happens
When was the last time you took a close look at your auto insurance policy? For most people, the answer is maybe even never. You called and got the policy or had it transferred when you bought your current car.
One thing all drivers should do is take the time to survey their car insurance coverage. Call your insurance agent and ask them to talk you through your current coverage.
Laws change frequently related to coverage at the state level. You want to make sure you are appropriately covered in case you’re sadly a part of one of those vehicle accident statistics.
Stay Calm
If you’re involved in a car accident, this might sound like impossible advice, but really the most important first thing you can do is to keep yourself calm.
It might be easy to panic and even have a freakout. The problem with that is that you can miss things that might be important later on.
Sure, your body will have a natural reaction and the adrenaline will start to course through your veins. Try to remind yourself to take some deep breaths and keep calm, this is especially important if other people are not calm.
Check for Injuries
Part of staying calm will be to check for injuries. Consider yourself first. Does anything hurt? Do you need immediate medical attention? Yell for help if needed.
Then check your own passengers and other people who might be in the accident. If someone does appear injured, it’s probably best to avoid moving them until the emergency medical professionals arrive.
Remember, your body will have a lot of adrenaline and be in shock too. That can mask injuries. So, take it slow and make sure you don’t move around too much until you’re sure you have no injuries.
Call for Police and Emergency Services
If a witness doesn’t do this for you, the next thing you want to do is to call for help from the police and other first responders. If possible, identify key information for the 911 operator when you call in.
- Where are you located?
- How many cars are involved?
- Are there potential injuries?
This helps them to know who to send to the scene and how quickly they should move to get there.
Even if the accident is minor and there doesn’t appear to be injuries, you still need to call the police. Your insurance company will want a copy of a police report so you need to get the police on the scene.
Move to Safety
Many accidents happen in traffic or on busy roads. As soon as it’s safe you should move to safety. If possible, get out of the middle of the road. Get away from traffic.
Sometimes, it isn’t possible, then you should stay in your car. You can’t predict what other drivers might do as they approach the accident. You don’t want to be out of your car in the road and get hit.
Are There Witnesses?
If the accident becomes complicated later between insurance companies, you want to find any possible witnesses to the accident. Often witnesses will hang around long enough for help to arrive and leave. Sometimes witnesses are even reluctant to talk to the police on the scene.
Before they leave, you want to identify anyone who might have seen what happened. If you have a car accident lawyer involved in your case, later on, it might be helpful for them to talk with a witness. Ask politely if they will share their name and contact information, in case what they witnessed is needed again later.
Document the Scene
While the police will provide a report, there’s nothing quite as powerful as some photographs. If you have a cell phone and are able to safely do it, get out and snap some photos of the accident scene.
If possible, move around and get the photos from several different directions and angles. Get close to the damage on the car to show where it’s damaged. If there are signs of an accident on the road or damage because of the cars, take photos of that too.
It also makes sense to grab a piece of paper and sketch out the scene while it’s fresh. If that isn’t an option, you can also open your phone and record what you think happened while it’s fresh in your mind.
Don’t Admit Fault
It’s really best to limit all conversations with other people who were involved in the accident. Even if you’re able to stay calm and clear-headed. Not everyone does.
They may come at you in an accusatory manner. You may feel defensive.
Even if you know you’re at fault for the accident, don’t admit that to other drivers. Let the police and insurance work out fault. The more you say to others, the more someone could later use it against you.
Collect Information from Involved Parties
The police will do this too, but it makes sense for you to exchange information with other drivers. Limit your conversations with them to just the basics. Be prepared to provide the following:
- Your full name and phone number
- Insurance company
- Policy number
- The phone number for your insurance company
Then ask the other people involved in the accident to do the same.
Call Your Insurance Company
When you’re at the scene of the accident, there are some drivers who will ask you not to call the insurance companies. They may want to negotiate how the damages get taken care of. You really want to avoid this option. You don’t really know at the scene the extent of cost for repairs or even long-term complications from being in an accident.
You have auto insurance for this reason. Call them and report the accident. Give them the basic information about the accident and the police report information. The insurance company will want to send an adjuster to take a look at the car and start to assess damages.
See a Doctor
Most people want to play down potential injuries. Even if you have some aches and pains, often accident victims want to decline medical attention.
Again, you have adrenaline and shock happening and you should always be checked out by a doctor. In the best-case scenario, the doctor says you’re right and you don’t have any notable injuries.
But sometimes injuries take a while to present themselves. It’s always smart to get medical attention right away so if you have problems that creep up they can be connected to the accident.
Keep Track of Accident Related Expenses
Following the accident, you’ll want to keep track of any potential costs, loss, or expenses related to the accident. Did the accident require you to miss work? Do you have medical bills that have come in as a result of the accident?
Any expenses related to the accident can be a part of a case later on.
Professional Help in Dealing With the Insurance Claims
Once you’re past the actual accident scene, you’ll enter the stage of needing to deal with the insurance company. While you have insurance to protect you in case of an accident, the truth is insurance companies don’t make it easy to get claims paid. Or they will attempt to pay it quickly and close the case.
You might decide it makes sense to talk to a car accident lawyer who can help you decide if you need legal help following the accident. This resource can provide more information about legal help following an accident.
What if Injuries Are Involved?
If your accident involved injuries, there’s a very good chance you’ll want to consider hiring a lawyer for your case. Once there are injuries, the accident and the associated cost becomes much more complicated.
It can also get tricky if the other driver was at fault as you want their insurance company to handle expenses and damages. An experienced personal injury lawyer knows how to navigate the insurance companies and get you a settlement if you deserve one.
Know What to do Following a Car Accident
While nobody wants to be involved in a car accident. It’s important to know what to do if you are in one. Making careful choices following the accident can help not only keep you safe, but also can protect your interests after the accident.
For information about personal injury cases, be sure to visit our website often.
