Car Insurance
It’s traumatic, stressful and very frightening but try to keep your calm…
What to do if you’re involved in an accident
An accident can happen from nowhere. One minute you’re driving along, carefully paying attention to the road and what’s going on around you, then BANG, you find yourself sat in a pile of crumbled metal, that only a few moments ago, was your car.
Whether you’ve been injured or not, it’s very easy to panic when you’ve been involved in an accident. Try not to. You’ll find you’ll be able to deal with the situation far more effectively, if you keep calm.
Report the accident immediately
If you are involved in an accident where someone has been hurt, the first thing to do is dial the emergency services. Then ask if anyone at the scene of the crash has any first aid experience. Even the most basic of procedures could help save a life or prevent serious injury.
It’s worth knowing that it’s a legal requirement for you to stop at the scene of an accident if someone has been injured or damage has occurred to a vehicle or property as a result of a collision. If you don’t the consequences can be severe, with some judges handing out custodial sentences for failing to stop at the scene of an accident. And in some cases, you must report incidents involving animals such as dogs.
Try to stay calm
Even though you’re probably very shaken directly after any sort of accident, try to think straight once you’ve calmed your nerves (or your temper). Exchange details with everyone present at the scene. Take telephone numbers, make a note of registration plates and of course, car insurance details. Plus, call the police to report the accident.
Record events as much as possible
It may be the last thing on your mind but try and collect as much evidence as you can. Nowadays, with almost every mobile having a camera you have the perfect opportunity to record events. Take as many pictures as you can.
Never ever admit liability or blame in an accident. Simply contact your car insurance company to report the accident and relay your version of events to their claims department.
Hopefully, you’ll never have to do any of these things, but if you are unlucky enough to be involved in an accident, then you’ll know what to do and how to handle the situation. It could make a big difference to the outcome.