How to handle things after a car accident

Sadly, being involved in a car accident, at some stage, is almost inevitable. In America, during an average year, there are around 11.3 million vehicle accidents. There is a similar level of car crashes in other parts of the world. In fact, in many places, the risk of having an accident is even higher.

So, regardless of where you live and drive, you need to know what to do if you have a car accident. It is just as important as knowing the driving laws, passing your test, paying for insurance and maintaining your car.

Always stop

It is very important to resist the temptation not to stop. Not only is this not very nice for the owner of the other vehicle it may also be illegal. Even if you hit a parked car, you should at least take a few photos of the damage to both vehicles and leave your contact details.

Know when to call the authorities

In some places, you are obliged by law to call the police. If that is the case where you live, make sure that you do so.

Keep everyone safe

Your safety and that of everyone else needs to be a priority. Check that nobody involved needs medical help. If they do, sort that out first.

At the same time, quickly appraise the scene. If a vehicle is in a dangerous position, you need to do what you can to warn oncoming vehicles of the risk. Simple things like getting everyone to put their hazard lights on or deploying warning triangles can save lives.

So can getting everyone out of the vehicles that have been involved. Make sure everyone is standing far enough away not to get struck by another vehicle. You would be surprised at how often drivers who are passing accident scenes suffer lapses in concentration. When they do, they sometimes plow into the already damaged vehicles.

Get some legal advice

If you are injured, as soon as you can, contact a personal injury lawyer. Make sure that they deal with the aftermath of car accidents, on a regular basis. The more relevant their experience is to your situation, the more likely it is that they will secure a good level of compensation for you.

Collect as much evidence as you can

Do your best to record what happened. Take pictures and videos of the scene. Try to take a few distance shots as well as close-ups. But, only do this if it is safe to do so.

If someone asks you not to take photos of their injuries, be respectful of their wishes. But, do try to get photos of yours taken. Sit down write down what happened and do a diagram of the accident scene. As you do this, you will remember more about what happened. This explains how to draw an accurate picture of the scene.

Take your time when filing your insurance claim

Be careful about what you say when speaking to others, including the police and when filling out the insurance forms. Follow the advice of your lawyer in this matter.