A car accident is an unnerving situation that unfortunately happens to most people at least once in their lifetime. If you happen to get into a car accident in the future, it is important that you are prepared to handle the situation properly. If you’re asking yourself “What do I do after a car accident?”, then make note of the following procedures.
Keep Calm
Right after an accident, you may feel panicked, scared, shaken, or stressed, but it’s important to keep calm. You’re going to need a clear mind to properly take care of the steps that follow a car accident. Take a few deep breaths and count to ten slowly to calm your nerves. Then you will be able to talk to the other driver in a calm manner, without losing your temper or admitting fault. Even if the accident was your fault, admitting fault will make you legally liable for the accident. Only discuss the car accident with the police and your insurance agent.
Asses Any Injuries
Once a car accident occurs, it’s important to assess the safety of you, your passengers, and the other driver. Check for any major or minor injuries on yourself first, then move on to others. If there are no injuries, then pull your car out of traffic and put your hazard lights on to further ensure your safety. If there seem to be any major injures, call 911 immediately. Do not attempt to move anyone that is injured. It is best to leave that to the paramedics when they arrive with the ambulance.
Call the Police
Even if the accident is just a fender bender, call the police. The police will arrive to take statements and file an accident report, which is important to have when filing an insurance claim. Also, it is best to have an officer on scene in case someone needs medical attention, the other driver is driving without insurance, or if they have outstanding warrants. The police will assess the situation properly and make sure everyone is okay.
Take Down Information
You’ll need to get the other driver’s information after a car accident. You should get their name, address, insurance company, and policy number. Also, take note of the make, model and color of their vehicle, because this will also help with the accident report and insurance claim. If there are any witnesses to the crime, get their names and phone numbers so that they can be reached by law enforcement or the insurance companies.
You’ll also want to take down notes about the accident. Make note of what street you were on, which direction you were going in, and how the collision occurred. It is best to do this right away while the details are still fresh in your mind. Then when you talk the police or your insurance agent, you’ll have a consistent and accurate story.
Take Photos
While you are waiting at the scene, photograph the damage. Having photos of your vehicle and the other vehicle involved will help document the damage when you submit an insurance claim. Your insurance agency may even require photos of the damage.
Call Your Insurance Agent
Call your insurance agent as soon as you can. If you are calm enough at the scene, you should call them then. Some insurance policies have notification deadlines, so be aware of them in order to make the claim in time. The sooner your insurance agent is contacted, the faster your claim will be processed.
In case of an unfortunate accident, you will want to make sure that you have the proper auto insurance policy. If you have any questions regarding your coverage, please contact the agents at TJ Woods Insurance Agency. We are happy to answer any question you may have about what to do after an accident, or your auto insurance policy.
