What to Do Immediately After a Car Accident
Note: This is a collaborative article.
Thankfully, car accidents aren’t things that happen to you a lot, but if you find yourself involved in one, everything can often happen very quickly. It can all become rather overwhelming, especially if you’re dealing with tough circumstances like injuries to yourself or a passenger or the other party fleeing the scene. Knowing what to do if you find yourself involved in a car accident can help ensure that you can get everything dealt with as quickly as possible and get back on the road again. If you’re unlucky enough to be involved in a car accident, these are the steps that you should take.
Get Medical Help
Your first priority should be the health and safety of yourself and those around you. If yourself or anybody else is injured, you should get help to the scene as soon as possible. Call an ambulance as a matter of priority and if anybody is seriously injured, you should administer first aid if you can. Then, you should notify the police who will be able to deal with any dangers on the scene if needed. The police can divert traffic away from the accident and arrange to have any debris on the road cleared to avoid any further incidents. You will typically be asked to provide details of the accident and will be given a Police Incident Number, which should be kept safe as you will need this for your claim.
Get Other Party Information
Providing that the other party has not fled the scene, you should note down any essential information from them such as their insurance details, registration plate number and contact details. Get the contact information for any passengers involved in either car, too.
Get Evidence
If you are able to, you should get as much evidence as possible from the scene. Speak to any witnesses at the scene, whether that’s pedestrians walking past, people who saw the accident from nearby buildings, or other drivers who have stopped to offer assistance. Ask for contact details and for a copy of any dashcam footage that may have captured the scene. Take photographs of the road, your vehicle, and make a note of anything else that could have influenced the scene such as weather conditions.
Contact Your Insurer
You should let your insurance company know that you have been involved in a collision and provide them with all the information and evidence that you have gathered from the scene. If possible, call your insurer while you are still at the scene of the accident as it will be easier to provide them with information while you are there and it is fresh.
Get Legal Advice
After the accident, get support from a professional like Smith Jones Solicitors. They can offer the most accurate source on RTA claims and can help you navigate the finer details of both your car insurance claim along with any personal injury claims that you might decide to make. If you or a passenger has been injured as a result of the collision, you may be entitled to additional compensation.
Most of us are thankfully able to avoid car accidents, but if you are unlucky enough to be involved in a road collision, knowing what to do immediately afterwards will make the entire process easier.
