Having your very own car is indeed a great sense of accomplishment, but getting involved in a car accident is definitely one of the most unpleasant things associated with owning one. This is why most car owners consider getting car insurance since it protects them financially from the liability that arises in the course of the accident due to the inevitable occurrence of property damage and injuries being inflicted.
It is typical that we feel sorry for those involved in vehicular accidents, especially when those unfortunate incidents could have been simply avoided if one of the drivers weren’t very reckless while they were driving. For anyone who drives a vehicle, the norm when driving is to be calm, levelheaded and be aware that anything could happen while on the road. However, things get very different when an accident occurs. Therefore, to settle things right and avoid mistakes that are uncalled for, below are some basic tips on what to do if you are involved in a car accident:
1. Be cool-headed
The very first thing that you should do after accidently colliding with another car is to try your very best to calm down. It is actually easier said than done, but do remember that actions driven by negative emotions in such circumstances will only bring you more harm than good. With that said, instead of getting out of the car angrily and getting in a fight with the other car owner, try to calm yourself down first, take deep breaths or do anything to make yourself think more clearly and sensibly, and decide what’s the next proper thing to do. It is also recommended to call law enforcers as soon as possible to help with the situation.
2. Take note of all the details
Take note of all the damages inflicted both to your car and the other party’s vehicle. Do not forget to know all the names and their contact information. Write them all down if you deem it’s necessary to do so. Every information related to the car accident that you’d gather will come very handy when filing a claim.
3. Do take care of things at the accident site
In case there are people injured, you must immediately call an ambulance and do try to help them if you can. If no one is hurt, you need to try to clear off the accident site from car parts or at least place a warning sign so that other cars just passing by could avoid the accident area and prevent further additional complications.
4. Get pictures of everything related to the vehicular accident
Once you take note of all the information needed associated with the accident, do not forget to take pictures of the vehicles involved and especially all the damages inflicted. You can use your cellular phone to take the photos, just make sure the photos are clear enough, so that anyone (most especially the law enforcers) who views them can easily see the damages. As a matter of fact, the photos you’ll take will help the insurance company to evaluate the entire situation properly.
5. Contact your insurance company immediately after the collision.
Do not forget to check your policy, as there are some policies that require notice within 24 hours.
Whether you are evaluating your needs or you are in the process of comparing car insurance quotes, remember that the more coverage you get with your policy, the more costly it will turn out to be. By having lots of coverage is actually always good, because you’ll never know how much money you will really need after being involved in a car accident.
It’s pretty hard to keep a cool head in some cases, escpecially if your family is with you when the accident happens. You just have to be really careful in these situations
This is a great tips. but sometimes when you are involved with car accident you freak out and don’t know what to do.
Car accident is really one of the most common troubles today…A lot of people died because of it…We need to make sure we are aware with the information about car accidents…
Its really hard to get into taking a bunch of pictures after an accident, but it is really important; a friend of mine took a picture of the guy that he hit laughing with his head back at the scene of the accident; when he later tried to sue for neck injury, he got it thrown out.
I recommend having an accident kit in the car; in a gallon ziplock bag, keep a disposable camera, a pad, and a pen ready to go; that way, you just need to train yourself to grab your kit, instead of remembering where everything is.
Your tips could be very useful, although I have no idea what would I do if I had an accident. I’ve been driving fro about 10years, and I’ve never had an accident. I always try to drive responsible and careful, but I also like the feeling of the speed.
Excellent tips! In this incident we all need to be cool headed and calm. Anything might happen if we totally lose our temper. this is great to share.
Car accidents are obviously never pleasant and I think your tips are great because it prepares people in case it does happen. Insurance is very important, we always make sure we have insurance. I also agree about being cool-headed that way you can think straight in an accident.
– Cristina
Great tips Klaus, I have absolutely no idea what would I do if I had an accident. Keeping calm is important I guess. It’s bad to lose our temper in such a stressful event.
These tips are absolutely right and good becasue at the time of car accident, many of the people’s mind stops thinking for what to do the next because of damage to own property.