No matter how good a driver you may be, you are still at risk of being involved in a car accident. That’s because other inexperienced and reckless drivers are always going to be on the roads. And they are putting you and your car at risk. The only thing you can do is continue to drive as safely as possible to stay as safe as possible. But what happens if you are unlucky enough to be involved in a car accident? These are the steps you need to take.
Pull Over
Even if the accident seems to have been very minor, you still need to stop. In fact, if you do not stop, you could be committing a crime according to the Road Traffic Act. You need to get out of the car and help any injured people or pets. It is also important to check to see if any damage has been made to your car. Even a small accident could damage your car without you realizing. If you drive off in a damaged car, it could be putting you and other road users at risk from another accident.
Call The Emergency Services
If anyone has been injured in the accident, no matter how minor, you should call the emergency services. When you speak to the operator, be sure to ask for an ambulance and the police. The ambulance will be able to take care of any injuries while the police evaluate the scene and decide whether or not a crime has been committed.
Call A Recovery Service
If you have been involved in a non fault car accident, you will need to call a company who can take your vehicle away and repair it. It might be useful to contact a firm who will be able to offer you a replacement car. That way, you aren’t limited in any way by not having a car.
Swap Details
You will need to swap your contact details with the other drivers involved in the accident. This will help you all sort out your insurance claims. If you have them on you, you should also hand over your insurance information. This isn’t necessary, but it will speed up the claims if you do. Your insurance firm will need information from all parties involved before they pay out your claim. This will help them judge who was at fault.
Get Witness Details
If there were any passersby that may have seen what happened during the accident, you need to take their details as well. Your insurance firm will want to speak to as many witnesses as possible to help them gain evidence as to whether you were at fault or not. Unfortunately, you may not be able to stop any passersby if you are badly injured. But if anyone comes to your help, you should ask them if they would be willing to give evidence.
Being involved in a car accident can be a very distressing time indeed. Remember to follow these steps to help reduce any stress getting sorted afterwards!
