Experiencing at least one car accident in your life may not be inevitable, but it’s certainly likely. If you experience a fender-bender, collision or another type of car accident, do you know what to do? Speed and clear thinking count and reacting properly in the ensuing minutes after the crash will make things easier for you down the line. Here’s a list of the four things you must do after a car accident. Print it out and keep a copy in your glove compartment for when you need it.
Be Sure Everyone Is Okay, Including Yourself
Injuries incurred by car accidents can range from minor to life-threatening. After an accident, give yourself the once-over for any issues. If you think you’ve been severely injured, don’t move; wait for emergency service providers to arrive. If you feel okay and are thinking clearly, look after your passengers if you have any. Exit the vehicle and see how people in the other car, or cars, are. If someone’s life is in danger (if the car is on fire or the like), remove them from the vehicle, but otherwise, leave them where they are. If a driver or passenger has a life-threatening injury (losing blood rapidly, not breathing and the like), apply first aid and CPR as need be.
Call for Help
Either dial 911 yourself or ask someone nearby to do so. Doing so will get paramedics or other health care providers to arrive and treat any injuries. It will also alert the police to direct traffic, document things and file a report on the incident. This may be a requirement where you live, but it’s all to your benefit when it comes time to file your insurance claim, and your insurer requests a copy of the original police report.
Create Your Own Record
Be sure to keep a notebook and pen handy in your car. You might need it to collect vital information in an accident’s aftermath. Have your smartphone ready as well. Take pictures of the scene with closeups of damage to the car or cars. Record the location of the accident and take down everyone’s contact and insurance information, including the driver and their passengers. Be ready to share your info as well by keeping a copy of your insurance card in the glove compartment. License plate numbers and the types of cars involved are also necessary info, as are the names and badge numbers of any officers on the scene.
Contact Your Insurer and Lawyer
Here’s the last of the four things you must do after a car accident, and it’s a biggie. Call your insurance company as soon as possible to file your claim and talk to them about what else you need to do to expedite it. Let your lawyer know what happened as well to head off the possibility of a lawsuit or potential problems with receiving payments from your insurer in case of personal injury or the like. They’re the experts!
