A car accident is the last thing that any driver would expect to be involved in. However, every year, a total of 6 million U.S citizens are involved in a car accident. It is a natural reaction to feel upset and anxious when involved in an accident, but being aware of what to do after the accident can help you gain control of the situation and stay calm.
- Check for any signs of danger and injuries on the scene. Your safety comes first. That is why you must check for any signs of danger and injuries after the accident has occurred. If you were not alone in the car, make sure that other passengers are not injured as well. Also, make sure that the surrounding is safe from the rest of the traffic.
- After making sure that everyone is okay, the next thing you need to do is move to a safe distance. You can stand at the sidewalk as you contact emergency services. If your car’s engine is still running, switch off the ignition and turn on the hazard lights
- Contact the police. The next thing you are required to do is to contact the police. That is because some states require you to file a report of the accident you are involved in. once the police arrive at the scene, they will ask for your driving license as well as insurance and registration. It also advisable that you record the details of the police officer. Make sure that you get their name, contact information as well as the badge number.
- Apart from gathering police details, you should also exchange your details with other parties that are involved in the accident. You should get the names, contact details and the home address of all the parties involved in the crash. Other important details that you should exchange are the car’s registration number, policy number and the name of the insurance provider.
Also, find out whether the person behind the wheel is the owner of the car or not. Moreover, do not forget the model, color and make of the vehicle. Moreover, do not sign any documents that are presented to you unless they are from the insurance agent or the police. For legal advice following an incident it is always best to speak to lawyer, contact wwwAccidentTampa.com for advice.
- Do not allow your emotions to run high. Instead, keep calm until you figure out what has happened and who is to blame. Just focus on exchanging personal details as you continue waiting for the police. After that, allow the insurance company and its legal representative to take over.
- Use a mobile device such as a smartphone to take photos of all the cars that are involved in the accident. make sure that you capture every angle so that you do not miss out on any relevant details. Also, make sure that you take photos of the car’s condition as well as the insurance documents and its license plate number. Do not get rid of any of these details since it can be used as evidence.
After taking the photos and videos, you can submit them to your insurance provider if they have an application that supports such services. if not, then you will no other option but to wait for the adjuster to arrive at the scene and assess the damage that has been done.
- Keep a record of what has happened. That means you write down as much as you can about the accident. furthermore, make sure that you include details such as location, time, weather and the condition of the road. If you do not have a writing material where you can record all this information, then you can use digital tools that are found on smartphones such as the notes tool.
- Call your insurance provider so that you can start working on the claiming process.
- Make sure that you are not injured. Check again for the second time whether you are injured. If you are injured, seek medical attention from the nearest health facility.