In the United States alone there is an average of over 15,000 car accidents each and every day. Car accidents cause more injuries and deaths than any other type of personal injury incidents. The likelihood of you getting in an accident at least once in your life is extremely high. Many people were never taught what to do if they get into a car accident. Do you know what to do? Right after you get in a car accident you will want to take some simple steps to make sure that you do not cause more damage or create problems for yourself down the road.
Safely Stop Vehicle After a Car Accident
The first thing that you want to do is safely stop your vehicle. Many people panic when they get in an accident and take their foot off the brake without putting their car in park. This will only make matters worse. So do your best to take a breath and then make sure that your car is fully stopped. Put your car into park and turn your engine off.
Check for Pain & Injury After a Car Crash
Next you will want to take a look at yourself and see if you have any injuries. If you do have any large injuries you may want to think twice before moving around and checking on other people. Moving around if you have neck or back injuries can cause further damage. If you think you have any neck or back injuries call for help. If you do not have any large injuries you will want to check on any passengers in your car, pedestrians that may have been nearby, and any people in the other cars involved. You will want to ensure that any injuries are checked out by a health care professional.
Do You Call 911 for a Minor Car Accident?
After you checked on everyone involved you will want to call 911. There may be a witness that has already called them for you but make sure that you call them if no one else has. The police will come out and fill out an accident report. In some states the police will not come if it was a small fender bender. Do not admit fault or place blame on others for the accident. The police will take care of looking at the accident and seeing who was at fault. If the police do not come out to the scene of the accident you will want to make sure that you take time to document the accident with written statements from both drivers and any witnesses.
Accident Information Exchange
Once the police are on their way, or you know that they are not coming, start gathering information. It is customary for the drivers to exchange information. You will want to collect the driver and passenger names, license plate numbers, insurance information, makes and models of all vehicles involved, contact information for any witnesses, location of the accident, and the name and badge number of the police officers that respond to the accident. You will also want to take pictures of the scene from multiple angles.
Call Insurance Company After an Accident
After you have gathered all of that information call your insurance company. You will need to file an insurance claim so that your insurance company can pay for damages. Calling from the scene of the accident is helpful because your agent can help make sure that you get everything that you need before the cars or moved or the other driver(s) leave the scene of the accident.
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Completing all of the steps above can be a lengthy process. Try to maintain a calm demeanor so that everything can go as smoothly as possible. If your car is not in driving condition you will need to have your car towed. Non Stop Towing can help you get your car to the mechanic of your choice so that you can start the process of car repairs.