What to Do After a Car Accident In 5 Easy Steps
There’s no way around it – driving can be dangerous. Although nobody ever leaves home expecting to get into an accident, unfortunately there are a lot of risks involved with driving, and sometimes you might find yourself in an unfortunate situation. If you get into a car accident, there are a number of steps you should take to minimize the impact that the incident will have on your life, but not everyone is aware of when and how they should implement these. In this guide, we’ll be discussing exactly what you should do after a car accident to try and keep yourself and others safe.
Breathe!
If you’ve just been in an accident, it’s likely that your adrenaline will be flowing and you might find it hard to calm down. The first thing you should do in this situation is take some time to breathe. Pull over to a safe spot where you’ll be able to get out of the car and speak to the other driver, as long as they are not acting aggressively or erratically. With emotions running high after an accident, people can react uncharacteristically, so you should stay in your car and call 911 if you feel unsafe.
Check for Injuries
Whether it’s just you in the car, or you’re traveling with passengers, once you’ve taken a moment to stop and breathe, check that nobody in the vehicle has suffered any injuries during the accident. If anybody is in a serious condition, or you’re concerned that their condition is worsening, call for the emergency services as soon as possible.
Assess the Damage
Next, you should closely assess any damage that has been caused to your vehicle, and to the other driver’s. At this stage, make sure you take pictures on a camera phone if you can, so that any insurance claims can be swiftly dealt with as the information is already on-hand. Make sure that you verbally confirm any damage that you’ve noted with the other driver, too, so that there aren’t any unexpected surprises later down the line.
Exchange Driver Details
Once you have a clear understanding of the extent of the damage, you should exchange personal details with the other driver. Provide your name, your contact number and the details of your insurer, so that the other party can contact the appropriate people on their end too.
Get a Lawyer
Following an accident, you should always notify the police within 24 hours, to avoid getting disqualified from driving or having points added to your license. However, if you’re injured, you should also consider lawyering up. A good car accident lawyer will not only be able to support you through any immediate investigations but can also help you to determine who was at fault.
Getting into a car accident can be scary, and also painful. By following these five steps, you can ensure that you’ve done everything possible to limit the damage and take the correct course of action going forward. As long as you have a credible, experienced car accident lawyer, you can make the best choices after the accident.
