What to Do After a Car Accident
Picture this: It’s a hectic Monday morning and even though you’ve rushed to get the kids dressed and ready to leave the house, you’re still late to get them to school. They start arguing in the backseat, and when you turn around to tell them to stop, you don’t see the car ahead of you break for the yellow light. By the time you look up, it’s too late — you’ve rear ended the car in front of you.
Would you know what to do next? No one plans for an accident to happen, but being prepared in the event that one does take place can make navigating this stressful situation a little easier.
Make Sure Everyone Is Okay
In an emergency, your safety and the safety of others is the priority. If you, your passengers, or the passengers of any other involved vehicles are injured, call 911 immediately. In the event that you are seriously injured, it is advised that you remain as still as possible and have an able passenger or bystander call for help. If you can put your hazard lights on.
Get To A Safe Location
Whether it’s a minor fender bender or a major collision, it’s important to move to a safe location while waiting for emergency services if you can. If you are uninjured and able to move, get out of the way of traffic immediately. If possible, you should also move your vehicle out of traffic. Turn your hazard lights on as soon as possible.
Call For Help
If you have not done so already, once you are in a safe location, call 911. For every car accident, no matter how minor, calling the police is essential. The responding officers will fill out an accident report and help document the scene of the accident.
Document the Accident
Although the responding officers will document the scene, it’s important for you to keep a record of the accident and the people involved as well. Be sure to ask the other driver for the following information which you can write down or take pictures of.
- Full name and contact information
- Insurance Company and policy number
- Driver’s license and license plate number
- Make, model, and color of the vehicle
In addition to documenting the information of the other driver, you should also take note of the following:
- Name and badge number of all responding police officers
- Names of all passengers if they will provide, if not, then take note of how many passengers are in the other vehicle(s)
- Names and contact information of any witnesses
You’ll also want to take pictures and videos of any damage, documenting different angles of the accident scene.
Call Your Bearingstar Insurance Agent
Getting into a car accident can be overwhelming, but your local Bearingstar Insurance agent is just a phone call away. We are here to guide you through the entire process — from helping you understand your coverage to filing a claim, we can make navigating the aftermath of a car accident much easier for you.
Understanding the next steps to take after a car accident can help give you peace of mind in a stressful situation. If you have unanswered questions about protecting your car or navigating the claims process, we’re here to help! Visit our website to connect with a Bearingstar Insurance agent near you: http://bit.ly/2Kdp2vm
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