It’s a scary event when you’re in a car accident. The initial shock can be enough to shake anyone up, and the aftermath of being involved in an accident is something that needs to be taken care of right away. In this blog post, we will go over ten steps to take after being involved in a car accident so you know what you need to do next.
Shut Down and Secure
As soon as you have your thoughts together you should turn off the engine and turn on the hazard lights. This will stop any more fuel being pumped into the engine and warn other drivers that might be approaching the scene.
Stay Still, Stay Calm
While it can be a rather traumatic situation it is best to try and stay as still and as calm as you can. You might well have injuries that are not apparent yet and moving about could aggravate them. Also, the last thing you want to be doing is arguing with the other people involved.
Contact the Police
The first thing you should do when in a car accident is to contact the police. The fact that you have been in an auto collision needs to be documented, and having law enforcement on hand can help ensure there are no issues with damages or injuries down the line. If possible, get the names and badge numbers of all officers who are on the scene.
Don’t worry, if you are unable to contact law enforcement right away due to being injured or because of other circumstances, it’s not too late to do so later. The best thing is still to get in touch with authorities as soon as possible so that your side of the story will be told while memories are still fresh and things can be properly documented.
Seek Medical Attention
If you’re feeling like you might be in pain, seek medical attention. It’s better to err on the side of caution and go get checked out even if it is just for peace of mind. You never know when injuries that aren’t noticeable right away may come up later or develop into something more serious. If there was a passenger in an accident, the same thing goes. Even if they don’t feel like anything is wrong, a medical professional can check them out and make sure nothing was missed.
The worst thing any person can do after being involved in a car accident is not taking care of themselves by seeking medical treatment, so don’t wait! Also, note whether your health insurance will cover anything related to this accident as well since filing claims with an insurer could help offset costs down the line.
Quickly Assess the Scene
Once you have rang all the emergency services you need to you might want to see what the scene looks like. You don’t need to be a crash expert here, it is more about thinking of your location and the location of any wreckage around you. Are you on the corner of a fast road? Are you on tracks of any kind and is there any chance people might crash into the scene causing more problems? A simple reflective triangle if you have one can make the world of difference on a dark night.
Take Pictures
While it might seem like a good idea to just get back into your car and go, take the time to snap some photos of what you’re dealing with. Many people don’t realize this but taking photographs after being involved in an auto collision is important! It’s better than trying to remember everything yourself especially since memories fade over time which means details will slip away eventually too. Even if no one else was hurt or their vehicle got damaged in a crash, these pictures can help you when dealing with insurance claims and negotiations or when it comes to the other driver in question.
Of course, there are some things that cannot be photographed such as injuries but even if this is the case then write down what happened so you have your own notes on hand too. If nothing else at least keep track of any bodily harm sustained during an accident by taking detailed notes about how the pain felt and where exactly it was coming from plus whether there were issues breathing or anything like nausea involved because these details matter later!
Check for Smells
While it is certainly not something a lot of people will think about after a crash it can be one of the most important things to do. Is there a smell of petrol, can you smell anything else like oil that might be spilling from somewhere and what about the other people involved in the accident? Does their car smell of petrol? Do they have a faint sell of alcohol on their breath? Little things like this can make big differences to how the scene is treated by the emergency services.
Ask Questions
After being involved in a crash, it’s important that you ask any questions that might have come up. Whether there was an accident due to another driver not paying attention or if the collision occurred because of some other issue such as poor weather conditions, this is still something you should know about so don’t be afraid to seek out details from everyone who was on the scene. The more information you have at your disposal means the better prepared and informed decisions can be made moving forward.
Gather Information
Lastly, make sure to gather as much information about the accident and what happened as possible. Collect names and contact details for anyone who was involved including yourself plus any passengers you might have had in your vehicle at the time of an incident because all of these people could be used later if needed. If anything changes or more info comes up down the line then having a list like this can help since it’s better than trying to remember things on one’s own without written records! Also, write down where exactly everything took place so that there isn’t confusion when looking back over past events months from now. Accidents happen but with careful documentation and preparation, they don’t need to cause long-term issues either which is why taking steps after being part of a collision is important.
Once you have been in a car accident, take some time to recover and check on the other passengers involved. If there are any lasting injuries or damage done to your vehicle beyond repair, contact an attorney so they can help secure compensation for your damages.
Don’t be Afraid to Claim Years Later
At the time of the accident, you might have thought it was best not to sue anyone, not to claim any sort of compensation. But as time goes on you might still have nightmares about that dreadful moment, or worse you still suffer from injuries that are affecting your everyday life. While there is an expiry date on claiming for accidents you don’t have to make any decisions on the spur of the moment.
