A car accident can happen at any moment, but once you experience an accident, you’ll never forget about it. No matter how alert you remain on the open road, you might still find yourself involved in an accident with another driver. Take a deep breath and use the following tips to determine what to do next.
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1. Protect the Scene
Experts generally tell you not to move your car until the police arrive because those officers need to examine the scene. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take the time to protect the scene and your passengers until help arrives. Use road flares to inform other drivers about the accident, and make sure that everyone stays away from the vehicles and out of the road.
2. Check for Injuries
Before the police arrive on the scene, take the time to check everyone involved in the accident for injuries. Gently move all of your limbs, looking for any signs of pain. If you notice any injuries, call 911 and ask for an ambulance. It’s important to keep in mind that some injuries won’t appear until a few hours after the accident, but you should still seek medical help for those injuries.
3. Notify the Police
Even if you think that it was a minor accident, you should still call the police. There is nothing to stop the other driver from contacting your insurance company and filing a claim that says you were at fault. The police will examine the scene, talk to any witnesses and write a report that details the accident. If you have bills or injuries because of the accident, show a copy of the police report to Auto Accident Attorney.
4. Exchange Information
No matter who caused the accident, you need to exchange information with any other drivers involved. After you notify your insurance agent, the agent will call the other companies and work out the details. You need to know the name of the driver, the name of the company, the person’s policy number and the contact number for the company.
5. Contact Insurance Companies
The last thing you need to do after an accident is call your insurance provider. If you caused the accident, the company will pay for damage to other vehicles and for medical bills based on your coverage. If another driver caused the accident, you’ll need to contact your company for help covering your losses and medical bills.
An auto accident might be a scary thing, but with these five tips, you’ll know exactly what to do after that crash.
