Having a car accident, even if it isn’t serious, can really shake you up. Your emotions can run high due to the stress and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The best advice is to stay as calm as possible to be able to take in as much of the situation that you can.
There could be injuries involved or multiple vehicles, and it is vital to stay put until help can arrive. If you are injured yourself, stay as still as possible until EMTs can assist you. There is likely to be a lot of commotion after an accident so try to stay as cool and calm as you can.
The details of your accident are important information for the police, medical workers and car accident attorney. The more things that you can remember and outline after the accident, the more help you are giving yourself. Follow these steps after an accident and collect the following information to ensure that you can provide the full picture.
Stay Put
Even if there is not much damage and no visible injuries after an accident, you must stay on the site. It is illegal to leave the scene and you could face fines or charges. If you are injured it is always best to move as little as possible before EMTs have arrived. Help will come to you and it can be dangerous to move around too much before being properly examined.
Check All Passengers
If you are unhurt and can get to the other vehicles, you should check the condition of all of the passengers and drivers. Call emergency services to help anyone that is injured. Try to keep everyone calm and still until help can arrive.
Contact The Police
In most places you must file a police report about your accident to submit to your insurance company. Failure to report properly can result in your claim being denied. Call the police to report to the scene of the accident and give your full statement about what happened. Make sure to get the name and badge number of the officers that you deal with for your report.
Swap Info
You should exchange your personal and insurance information with all other drivers involved. Make sure to get name, address, contact number and insurance company information from each vehicle owner. It’s a good idea to get contact information from all of the passengers that are involved as well, in case you need witness statements later on. Try to remain as calm and polite as possible while interacting with the other accident victims. Emotions and tempers can run high after an accident and it is best to stay cool.
Witnesses & Photos
If you are able to do so, you should take photos of the scene of the accident. Take multiple pictures of the damage to your vehicle from different angles as well as photos of the entire scene. Your photos can be an important piece of evidence to add to your report. Talk to any other bystanders or witnesses and get their statements and contact information.
