What to do After a Car Accident
With snow beginning to fall and winter looming, road conditions will be less than ideal in the coming months. Car accidents are not something we want to think about or stress over, that stress can leave your mind frozen so we’ve listed some key tips for dealing with the scene immediately afterwards.
Below are some guidelines on what to do following a collision, as well as some helpful tips on what you should prepare for your vehicle ahead of time.
Get off to the Side
Allow yourself time to calm down and try and piece together what just happened. For minor fender benders – if you and your vehicle are safely able to, try and get our vehicle to the side of the road. Staying put in the middle of the road or exiting the car altogether could prove detrimental. If conditions are poor, other cars may swerve as well and end up hitting you if you’re not out of harm’s way.
You’ll need to remember details later on – gather your thoughts and write down down what happened in as much detail as you’re able to.
Call 911
Even if everything appears to be fine, many injuries don’t surface until well after the accident. You may not realize if you’ve suffered a head injury, so it’s best that you call the police and have an ambulance come just in case.
Exchange Information
After making sure everyone is okay, you should trade insurance information with the other driver(s) involved in the collision. Some of the things you should ask for is their name, telephone number, address, driver’s license number, license plate number, as well as the make, model, year, and colour of the vehicle.
Quick Tip: Most of our phones are equipped with camera’s these days – take a photo of the other persons license, insurance and license plates. This makes things a whole lot easier, accurate and efficient.
Wait to discuss your take on the matter with the police and your insurance company.
Take Pictures
The more evidence you have, the better case you’ll have. Take pictures of the accident, the damage done and the road conditions etc. Take an overall scene photo(s) as well as several medium range and close-up photos.
Roadside Assitance
Don’t just assume your coverage pays for free towing or a rental vehicle. Find out beforehand what your insurance covers, or you may end up facing a hefty bill when it’s all said and done. Most new-ish vehicles still have Roadside Assistance coverage, it’s a good idea to have this Roadside Assistance number already programmed in your phone – you’ll thank me for that one!
Another great option is CAA – they’re an inexpensive way to keep your stress levels low in these situations. Towing bills vary to crazy degrees and in the moment you never know who may be towing your vehicle. CAA has strict guidelines and high expectation levels for their drivers – for a modest annual fee you can rest easy knowing you’re in capable hands.
Create a Kit
To ensure you’re prepared in the event of an accident, you should prepare some sort of emergency kit. You should always have a cell phone, pen and paper, accident report documentation and a camera if your phone isn’t already equipped with one.
Safe travels from your friends here at NewRoads!