Nobody wants to be involved in a car accident but the unfortunate truth is that they happen quite often. Thankfully, most are fairly minor, but even when they are, it can still be quite shocking. With all the commotion it can be hard to think straight, but there is a proper way you should do things to make sure you are best covered. This article aims to help you deal with the situation better, should you ever find yourself in a car accident.
Check Yourself For Injuries
The first thing you have to do after being in a car accident is to check yourself for injuries. You might be in shock which tends to dull the sensations of pain, whilst the adrenaline is coursing through you. Take a breath and work your way through all of your limbs and joints to see if everything is okay. If you are seriously hurt, try to commit to memory everything that you are feeling at that moment. Being able to recall any injuries at that moment may help you when your car accident attorneys start to get involved. It is also really important so that you don’t make any injuries that you might have sustained worse in any way. Checking yourself for injuries is always the first thing you should do when you have been in a car accident.
Memorize The Other Car’s Details
Once you have checked yourself and others for injuries, try and get a look at the car that you collided with. You want to try and memorize their number plate, as well as the make and colour of the car. Some drivers will panic and decide to drive off, especially if they think they were at fault. By getting a mental note of their details you will be able to provide the police with useful information on who was involved in the accident.
Move Your Car Out Of The Road
Assuming that your car hasn’t been totalled, the next thing that you need to do is get your car off the road. Although it might be tempting to jump out and start shouting at the other driver, you need to make sure that the road is safe. By taking off the hand break you should be able to push your car to the side of the road or drive it if it is safe to do so. Once your vehicles are off the road, you can be assured that nothing else bad should happen.
Call The Police
At this point, you need to inform the police of what has happened. Although the other driver might have come over and tried to convince you to not call the police, all road accidents need to be reported. At the end of the day, this comes down to a principle of safety. You don’t know if the other driver has been in accidents before, you don’t know if they are under the influence of alcohol or even if they have a license at all. Getting the police involved as soon as possible is an important step in dealing with a car accident.
Check For Witnesses
Once the police have been called, take a look around to see if any passersby could have seen the accident. Go over to speak to them to see if they can stay until the police arrive and provide statements about what happened. You want to make sure that there are other accounts of how the accident happened so that it isn’t just your word against the other driver.
Take Photos Of Any Damage
Lastly, you must take photos of all damage sustained to your vehicle and the other driver’s vehicle. This is the only way to have accurate evidence of damage sustained during the accident. Encourage the other driver to take their own photos too. These photos will be critical in any legal case that may subsequently happen.
Accidents Happen
Unfortunately, car accidents do happen quite often. If you drive for your whole life then you might just end up in one yourself. Hopefully, it will be nothing major, but even if it is a small bump, the process can be quite difficult to deal with. By remaining calm and remembering a few key processes, you should be able to cope and do your due diligence. In this order, you should; check yourself for injuries, memorize the other car’s details, move your car out of the road, call the police, check for witnesses and take photos of all damage caused. Following these steps should help you deal with being in a car accident if you are unlucky enough to be in one.