What You Should Do if You are Involved in an Automobile Accident

What You Should Do if You are Involved in an Automobile Accident by Jerry Work

So you’re driving along in your car, minding your own business, listening to some tunes, feeling good, when all of a sudden…BAM! Everything is turned around. You hear the smashing of metal, and the breaking of glass as your entire body is jolted. Your first thought is what in the world just happened?
You’ve been in an auto accident, an all-too-common event that still catches most of us completely off-guard.

It does not matter how careful you are, or how good your driving skills. The chances that you will be involved in an auto accident at some point are very high. Just because you are a careful and attentive driver, that doesn’t mean the car behind you or in front of you has the same skills. So when an accident happens, you need to be prepared. The following describes the steps that should be taken right after an automobile accident occurs.

First things first, before you ever even step foot into your car, make sure your insurance is covered. In most states, it is a law that you must be insured in order to drive. Assuming your insurance needs are accounted for, make sure you have your proof of insurance in your car at all times. It is also an excellent idea to keep a few items for documentation purposes in case of an accident. This would include a pen and pad of some type, a cell phone, and a camera. Most phones these days have built in cameras, but if not, you may want to keep a disposable camera on hand.

Now back to the present, as you sit in your newly damaged car. If no one has sustained any injuries, and the cars are still drivable, the cars can be moved out of the road and to the side. It can be dangerous to leave cars in the middle of the road, and can create a situation that might cause more accidents. Also turn on your hazard lights.

Now call the police. In cases of a minor car accident, the police should still be contacted even if they do not respond right away. In cases where the police come, you should remain at the scene of the accident until the police leave or give you permission to leave.

At this point,

you should exit your car, and trade information with the other driver. You will also want to get the name of their insurance provider, policy number and the vehicle’s license plate number. It might also be helpful to write down the make and model of the car and notes about any damages or physical features of the car. You may find it helpful to use your camera (or cell phone camera) to take pictures of both cars and the damage done to each.

After the accident, you should file a report with your insurance company, even if the accident was minor, not your fault, or if you just choose not to have insurance fix your car. This will safe-guard you from any direct law suit that the other driver might file. You should also take care to not admit that an accident was a fault of yours, because it could take the responsibility away from your insurance company.

While automobile accidents can be frightening, if you follow the steps described above, you will be prepared to deal with the situation in an orderly manner. It is important to remain calm, and everything will work out fine.

About the Author
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