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Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more
Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more
A car accident can turn life upside down in an instant.
The collision itself is often just the beginning of a potentially complex process, that can last for months.
Knowing the right steps to take immediately after an accident can protect your well-being and legal rights.
Here we look at the crucial actions to remember if you’re involved in a car accident.
Stop your car and switch the engine off
Immediately after the accident, you’ll need to stop your car and switch the engine off. Make sure that the car is properly secured, with the handbrake or parking brake engaged to stop the vehicle from rolling away.
You’ll also want to activate your car’s hazard lights to inform other road users of the issue.
Check yourself and any passengers over
Your safety – the safety of your passengers – is a top priority, so after the accident make sure that you check everyone over. Check for any cuts or grazes if any glass has smashed and make sure that there are no aches and pains following the collision.
If someone is seriously injured, phone the emergency services right away. You’ll want to do the same if the road is blocked, too.
Contact the emergency services if anything else feels off
There are some other instances where you should alert the police. For instance, if the other driver fails to stop and leaves the scene, or if you have suspicions that they could be driving while under the influence of drink or drugs.
Likewise, if the other driver fails to show that they have any insurance cover or if it looks like they’ve deliberately hit your car, then it’s best to call the police to avoid any doubt.
Try to remain calm
A car accident can be quite a harrowing experience but, if everyone is safe and secure, try to remain calm. Take some deep breaths, focus on the situation and try to avoid making any snap decisions – particularly if it appears as if the accident wasn’t your fault.
The best thing to do in this situation is to remain calm. In doing so, you’ll be able to make better judgements.
Don’t admit responsibility until you know all of the facts
While it can feel easy to say ‘sorry’ right away, don’t admit liability for the crash until the full picture of what has taken place has been made.
This can help to protect you until the full extent of the incident has been discovered. However, by law you need to share your details – such as your name and address – with everyone involved if the accident has caused damage or any injury,
Record everything that you can
Making a series of notes can help things further down the line. Firstly, take down the insurance details of the other car – or cars – involved. It’s worth taking down the details of any other passengers in the vehicle and don’t forget to get the information of anyone that witnessed the accident.
Make a note of the time and date of the accident, as well as the location and anything you notice about your surroundings. Take recordings of the make, model and colour of the cars included, as well as the conditions that you were driving in. It might be easier to take photos of these things with your phone, but physical notes are just fine too.
If you’ve got a dashcam fitted to your car, then make sure that it has recorded the moment of the incident. Dashcams provide a wealth of knowledge that can help determine exactly who was to blame for a collision.
Own up to damage even if nobody else is involved
If you’ve accidentally damaged another car that is parked up, remember to leave your details for the driver to find. You shouldn’t drive off – a passer-by or CCTV could capture you driving away and this could make things much worse in the long run.
Contact your insurance provider
It’s best to contact your insurance provider as soon after the accident as you can. You’ll need to provide your policy details – as well as those for other drivers involved – along with the registrations of all vehicles.
Even if you don’t go down the route of making a claim it’s a good idea to inform your provider of the incident in case the other driver attempts to put forward a claim without you knowing. As a result, your insurance provider won’t have this claim come through as a surprise.
Being part of a road incident can be scary, but there are some things to bear in mind after one takes place.
