Following these steps after an accident is going to help prevent the situation from getting worse. It is also going to help with the car insurance claim process.
What to do after a car accident
- Stop the car – failing to do this is an offence;
- Turn off your car engine and turn on hazard lights;
- Check whether there is anyone injured including yourself;
- Call the ambulance if need be;
- Call the police;
- Get contact information from others involved;
- Get the details of passengers or witnesses;
- Take photos and videos of the cars and scene.
Contact your insurer
You need to stop the moment you are involved in an accident, no matter how minor you think the accident is. You are breaking the Road Traffic Act laws by not stopping. You should turn off your car engine and turn on your hazard lights so that other road users can easily know you have stopped. Take a look around the scene of the accident and see whether there are any injuries. Call the police so they can get to the scene as soon as possible (if anyone is injured, call an ambulance).
It is important to call the police if the accident has blocked the road, or you suspect foul play - like a crash for cash scam. You should consider getting a dashcam because it will help you avoid such scams. Make sure you choose a quality dash cam because it can be hard to prove what happened with low-quality footage.
You need to stop the moment you are involved in an accident, no matter how minor you think the accident is.
Exchange details with other drivers involved in the accident. Give them your name and address, and they will do the same. It is important to leave your details if you crash into something near the road even if there are no other people involved. If you hit a parked car, make sure you leave your details on the windscreen.
Never accept blame or say sorry until you fully know what happened. When you accept the blame for the accident, it is going to be used against you later on even if you were not the one at fault. You have to report a car accident within 24 hours. This is a must or else you risk penalty points, a fine, or disqualification. For advice on injury claims contact specialist auto accident lawyers.
Collect details after the car accident. Make sure you get the details of the other parties involved in the accident. Get the names, contact details, and addresses of drivers, passengers, and witnesses. Get the car insurance details of the other drivers. It is also good to establish whether they are the registered keeper of the car involved. If they aren’t, try to find out who is the get their name and address.
It is very important to call 911 if someone leaves the scene of the accident without giving you their details. Other important information to get includes:
- The registration numbers of the vehicles involved;
- The make, model, and color of the vehicle;
- The date and time of the crash;
- Description of the weather condition;
- A sketch showing the position of the cars involved;
- Anything unusual about lighting and road quality;
- Any injuries sustained by drivers, pedestrians, or passengers;
- The damage to the vehicles involved.
It is very important to call 911 if someone leaves the scene of the accident without giving you their details.
Take photos of the scene because they can be used as evidence. Some people carry around disposable cameras to use in such situations. But most smartphones today have good cameras. This is going to help in remembering important details that you would have otherwise forgotten.
It is never fun to be left at the side of the road, even if you haven’t had a crash. You can minimise the time you spend being stranded by looking for the best breakdown cover provider.
You have to let your insurer know about the accident because it is going to help you start the process of making a claim and financing a replacement car. Contact your insurer so they can direct you on what to do. Make sure you let them know the damage to your car. It is important to let your insurer know about the accident as soon as possible. The time you do this is going to have a big impact on your claim process. If you fail to let the insurer know about the accident within the required time frame as per your policy, your cover is going to be invalidated. This means you will be forced to settle the bill by yourself.
The time you have to file a claim varies. Your insurance policy contains all these details; make sure you confirm because the time can be two days to two weeks after the accident. Always make sure the insurance company knows that you have been involved with the accident, even if you don’t plan on making a claim. Different car insurance companies have different terms. Take your time and look at the different options, then choose one that meets your needs. There is no need to regret it when it is too late.
The insurance company is going to need information on other drivers involved in the accident. This is why it is important to collect the details of the car and the driver before leaving the scene of the accident. They are going to ask for details like the registration number of the other cars involved and their insurance company details.
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The insurance company is also going to need the details of the accident. Make sure you get a lot of information before you leave the scene. Sketches can be great when it comes to explaining what happened. The best is to take photos and videos of the scene because they can be used as evidence. If there are any witnesses, take their details and give them to your insurance company. Witnesses are going to help with your claims process because they support it. Your insurance company is going to let you know what is next. If you are going to make a claim, the insurer will help you get started with the process. If the accident involved more than one car, the insurance company is going to contact the other party’s insurance company.
The above steps will help you if you ever find yourself in an accident.
