No one expects to be driving home from school or work and to be involved in an accident. However, this is more common than you may think. In 2021 alone, over 27, 300 people were killed or seriously injured in the UK through accidents on the road. This is nearly 75 people a day in a population of just 66 million. These accidents can occur in a flash, and it can be hard to know what to do. If you need some advice on what to do after being involved in an accident, then here are just a few things you can do.
Legal claims
Sadly, this is one of the first things that people go to when discussing a car accident. However, it is important to know that if you can prove that an accident was not your fault then you may have a claim that you can make. You should consult with reputable lawyers, such as Lamber Goodnow in Tucson, who will be able to guide you through the next steps of the legal process and assess whether you have a claim or not. You should make sure that you contact your insurance and grab the details of anybody else who was involved. This will make the whole process smoother and hopefully quick.
Immediately after the accident
The most important thing to do after an accident is to make sure that you and anyone else involved are okay. It is a traumatic situation for everybody involved, no matter who was to blame for it. Because of this, you should make sure to pull over safely if you can, stop the car, and turn the engine off as well as put your hazards on to alert oncoming traffic and check for injuries on yourself and any passengers to see if an ambulance is required. Once this is done, you can begin to calm down and exchange details. Seek out things like names, addresses, contact details, registration plates, and insurance details. It is important that you do not admit fault or apologize at this point. The insurance companies and the police will decide who is at fault.
Reporting to the police
The police do not always have to be involved if an accident is minor. However, there is a list of reasons why you may want to get them involved. This includes if somebody is injured. The police can decide if an ambulance or fire brigade is needed. If the road needs to be blocked off, or if you suspect that the other driver involved may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol then the police should be called immediately. You can also seek police help if the other driver refuses to share details or if you feel like they deliberately caused the accident. Contacting the police is the official right way to do things, but it will add time and hassle to any case. If the accident is minor, you may be able to sort out any issues without police or insurance getting involved.
What information should you record and report?
There are lots of things to remember after an accident thus it is important to record as much of the scene as possible. If you don’t then you may forget a key detail that will be vital to your case. The first bits of information to gather and the record is the time and date of the crash as well as the details of the cars involved. You could and should take photos of the driving conditions including the weather and road quality. Also, record the damage to your car and any injuries sustained to you or your passengers. All of these will be useful in assessing your claim and compensation.
The time limit on claims
If you have had an accident or been involved as a passenger, then you need to tell your insurance company as soon as possible. Many insurance companies have a limit on the time between an accident happening and you reporting it. Many of them say that you need to contact them within 24 hours. If you don’t it may affect your claims and your insurance package.
Being involved in an accident on the road
This is a scary and traumatizing event and the truth of it is, that you will likely experience at least one in your lifetime. There are lots of factors to consider but the important ones are that you and your passengers are okay and that you gather the relevant information. This will save you hassle in the future.
