[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you have ever been involved in a car accident or simply witnessed one, you will know that it is a frightening experience. It is often unexpected and causes shock and confusion as you try to figure out what’s happened. Among all this, if an accident occurs, you need to keep your head as there are details you need to remember and procedure to follow to make sure you and everyone else involved is safe and recorded correctly.
This is just a few of the important things you need to remember if you are involved in a car accident. Not only are they helpful, but they are also in some cases a legal requirement.
Stay with the vehicle
There is often a temptation to leave the scene of the accident to make a call or because you are confused and emotional. However, you should always stay with the vehicle at the scene. Although, if you are on a highway, then go to the closest safe play behind a barrier.
Even if it’s only a minor crash, you are legally obliged to stop and see if everyone is okay. You then have to report the incident to the local authorities. Failure to do this can result in being charged with failure to stop.
Call the authorities
Even if no-one is hurt and there is not much damage, you need to call 911 to alert the authorities that an accident has occurred. Not only is it the law, but it also helps to gather all the evidence you may need for a car accident lawyer.
It’s also a good idea because you don’t know if any of the other drivers are insured or allowed to drive. Tracking them down after the event will be extremely difficult and may cause further delays to any claim you have. You also do not want to be the victim of an insurance scammer.
Forget to take the details
During all this confusion and shock, there are some obvious things that can be overlooked. It’s important to take as much detail of the event as you can. This not only helps with insurance paperwork, but it could also protect you from any legal claims from other drivers.
Most people have a mobile phone, so take pictures of the scene from as many angles as possible. Try to get a wide picture of the junction or road and any skid marks on the surface.
Ask every driver involved for their insurance paperwork; it helps to carry a pen and paper around in the car, but if you don’t have any, take a photo of the documents.
Also, take names and addresses of passengers and anyone who witnessed the accident. They may be needed to confirm events that happened, especially if there are people injured.
Being involved in a car accident doesn’t mean it was your fault, sometimes there can be a number of factors involved. Although it won’t be easy, trying to make sure you record all of the events and stay with the vehicle will help make this bad situation a little easier in the long term.
