There’s never a time where you’ve been involved in a car accident and it hasn’t been stressful. Often our brains will wonder, our heart rates rise, and we lose track of what we are supposed to do. There are many people that still don’t know what to do if they’re involved in road accidents and that’s understandable.
Most people try their hardest to avoid these situations at all costs, but the majority of the time, a crash is caused by another road user. What do you do when involved in a car accident? What are the steps?
This article will answer some of those questions.
Stop The Car
No matter how serious the accident is you need to pull over and stop the car. Deciding not to stop is a criminal offence and failure to do so will result in some more serious consequences. Turn the engine off and put your hazards on to alert other road users to your presence.
It’s not only yourself you need to look out for after having an accident, but you should also be looking to see if there is any damage to anyone else’s car, property or anyone themselves.
Check Yourself For Injury
In these situations, we need to look after ourselves. Check yourself for any injury to see if you’re going to need medical assistance. Take your time to look over yourself as some damage can be unseen and with adrenaline coursing through your body you might not feel it straight away.
If you think you’re ok and don’t need assistance then get out the car and check to see if everyone else that was involved in the accident is ok. They might be in a situation where they can’t get out of their vehicle or they may have even passed out.
If anyone on the scene is hurt then you should call an ambulance to come. It’s better to be safe than sorry in these situations.
Call The Police
Unless you’ve had a really minor accident that can be sorted out then and there with all parties involved it’s best to call the police. Once they arrive a thorough investigation will be conducted. This is good for everyone involved as they look at an accident scene objectively and won’t miss the finer details that could be looked over by yourself.
The police will then file a report which will help you if you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you feel the accident wasn’t your fault and you deserve some sort of compensation then finding the best injury lawyers in Sydney is essential to building a successful case. Police reports and any evidence you can gather will also be important for your case.
If you’ve been injured to the point where you can’t work, you’re going to need some way of paying the bills. Falling into debt because of someone else’s actions isn’t fair.
Gather Evidence
After you’ve put the phone down to the police it’s best to walk around the scene, being careful not to disturb anything, and gather as much evidence as possible. This is essential if you’re going to file a lawsuit, but it will also be invaluable to the police investigation.
Take photos of your car and any other vehicles that were involved and include as much detail as possible. At this point, it can sometimes be helpful to draw a diagram of what happened to make it easier for others to understand.
Speak with the other parties involved and get their information. Any insurance details you can, their name and address, and email address, but remember to never apologise at the scene because it puts you at fault. Not only do you retrieve their personal details, but also anything to do with the car. Make and model, licence plate, even any damage that’s been caused. The more information the better.
Call Your Insurance
Some would say to call your insurance straight away, and you can if you want to. Just make sure you call them when you’re on the scene. It will be written into your insurance contract that if you have a crash you are obliged to inform your insurance provider. If you fail to do so, it could affect your premium and raise the price dramatically.
Your insurance company are there to help you and will do anything in their power to get you what you deserve, as long as it’s not your fault. Don’t withhold any information and be as honest as you can.
Being in an accident is a horrible experience but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Make sure you follow these pointers and everything should work itself out eventually. Use the professionals that are there to help, there’s no point in trying to do everything on your own. The police are there to help, your lawyers are there to help, even your insurance company. Stay safe when driving.
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