Car Accidents – What You Should Do FIRST

No one wants to be in a car accident that is for sure. However, knowing what to do if one should occur can actually be a lifesaver. Not only might a life be saved, but making your insurance claims will also be a whole lot easier as well. Accidents occur everyday, some accidents are simply fender benders, while others are more serious. In any accident, there are certain steps you should take to help the accident investigation, as well as prevent further damage or injuries to yourself or another.

 

If you are in an accident, the first thing you should do is stop the vehicle as quickly as you can. If you are in the middle of traffic, pull off to the side of the road when possible for safety. Many highways provide accident investigation areas, if possible move to one of these.

 

After stopping your vehicle, check with the driver and passengers of the other vehicle and see if any person is injured. This is important when calling highway patrol or the police, this allows them to dispatch the appropriate departments to assist the police.

 

When calling highway patrol or the police, make sure you give them details of where the accident occurred, if possible describe any mile markers or identifying landmarks if in a rural or highway settings. Relay to the dispatcher how many people have been injured and the type of injuries they seem to have.

 

Injured people should be covered with a warm blanket and left still. Do not move an injured person, as further injuries may result. If the person must be moved to avoid further injuries, such as in traffic or a vehicle fire, make sure you take care to protect their injuries, their head, and keep them as stable as possible.

 

Keep the accident scene as protected as possible. Set up flares, call a tow truck, and move vehicles out of the path of possible further damage. Make sure you let the officer investigating the accident know that you will need a copy of their report, the insurance company will need a copy of this for their own investigation and your claim.

 

For your own information, be sure that you keep a pencil and note pad in the glove compartment of your vehicle. You want to take note of the driver and their passengers names, as well as addresses. You will also want the license plate numbers of any cars involved, as well as the make and model.

 

Obtain the drivers license numbers of all drivers, as well as their insurance information. If there are any witnesses, you will want to make note of their names and address, as well as the names and badge numbers of any emergency personnel and police officers at the scene.

 

If you have an accident with a parked car or property, the first thing you want to do is locate the owner if possible. If you cannot locate the owner, you must leave them you personal information such as your telephone number, your name, and your address. Make your own notes of how the accident occurred, such as time, date, road conditions, and keep them with you when the owner does contact you.