The major causes of fender benders and more serious auto injuries include, but are not limited, to:
Distracted driving. Texting and talking on the phone keep driver’s attention unfocused on the road ahead.
Impaired driving. Alcohol and other recreational drugs make for dangerous driving. As little as two stiff drinks take the edge off the reflexes of the most alert driver.
Road conditions. Blinding blizzards and black ice create ideal conditions for roadway disaster, no matter who’s driving.
The other guy. You know that you’re a very safe driver. What you don’t know and can’t control is what kind of drivers you’re driving with each day. Any one of them could be impaired or distracted, or simply idiotic. According to the first quarter of 2022, nearly ten thousand people died in car accidents in the NHTSA.
Do the following if you’re in an accident.
While you’re still at the vehicle accident scene, there are a few things you should do. Hopefully, you have a good lawyer on call if you need one. You should take these actions that protect your health and safety while also giving you a fighting chance with insurance before leaving the collision scene.
Ensure the safety of everyone
As soon as possible after an accident, check to make sure everyone is secure. There could be several levels of harm depending on how hard the collision was. Before taking property damage into consideration, you must evaluate the security of others with you.
Start by carefully inspecting oneself for auto injuries.
You should check on the other passengers as soon as you are certain you are okay. If necessary, you can do first aid if you have fundamental training.
You should also call for medical assistance for anyone who needs it, whether a first aider is there or not. You must avoid moving or touching someone unresponsive or experiencing back or neck pain. This might cause more serious harm.
When possible, park your automobile away from the flow of traffic. If possible, move your vehicle and any other vehicles involved in the collision to the side of the road, and turn on your warning lights to alert oncoming motorists.
Make a police call
Call the paramedics if someone is hurt physically or dies. Receiving medical care right after an accident may uncover injuries you weren’t aware you had, even if they may not be required.
You should call the police no matter how minor the car collision was, even if everyone agrees to cooperate. After an automobile collision, phoning the police may be mandated by law in some states.
Police officers who react to the collision will take pictures and video of the incident, interview all people involved, evaluate the road and property damage and speak with witnesses. The responding police officers will also complete a report on the accident. You should request a copy of the report just to be safe. You can also write down the police officer’s name and badge number.
You can submit an accident report on your own if the police don’t show up at the location of the collision. To obtain an accident report, visit the neighborhood police station (and make sure you get a copy of that).
Transact Information
For insurance purposes, it is imperative that you keep a record of all parties involved in the collision. Make sure you obtain the most crucial details, such as:
Initials and last name (s)
Contact details (including phone numbers and email addresses)
Insurance company information
The number on a driver’s license (s)
Registration number (s)
Model, kind, and color of the car (s)
Where the accident occurred
Obtain the information of any passengers if they were also in the car crash.
It’s best to avoid discussing who was at blame for any auto injuries when exchanging information. The other parties involved might later use the specifics of those chats against you in a lawsuit.
