Being involved in even a minor auto collision can be a traumatic and dangerous experience. It is unfortunate, but the roads can be incredibly dangerous, and even if you are a safe and sensible driver, you could easily be involved in an accident at any moment. Despite this, many people do not know what steps should be taken after an accident, which only makes the situation more dangerous. With this in mind, here are the main steps that need to be taken if you are ever involved in an accident, no matter if it is a minor collision or a high-speed crash.
Check for Injuries & Get to Safety
First, you should check for injuries to you and the passengers in your car to see if there are any emergency situations – call 911 if so. You should then, if possible, move the car over to the side of the road and turn on the hazard lights. You need to keep in mind that some injuries may not present themselves immediately, like whiplash, so you should keep a close eye on yourself and other passengers over the coming hours.
Call 911
It is a legal requirement to call 911 in many states no matter how severe the collision is, and they will take statements and fill out reports which can be used for an insurance claim or collision repair process.
Exchange Details with Other Parties
You should then speak to the other motorists involved in the accident to make sure that they are ok and to exchange insurance details. At this time, try to avoid placing or accepting blame for what happened and instead try to focus on making sure that everyone is safe and injury-free.
Notify Your Insurer
It is then a good time to contact your insurer, even if you do not plan on making a claim. They will take down the details and talk you through what should happen next if the car is damaged and you want to make a claim.
Collect Evidence
While you are at the scene of the accident, you should collect as much evidence as possible, which will help to determine a sequence of events. This might include photographs of injuries, property damage and car damage, witness contact details, and dashcam footage.
Find A Reliable Collision Repair Company
You should then find a reliable collision repair company, even if the damage seems minor. You might need to replace or repair your bumper even if it has a small crack or dent as this could make the car unsafe to drive and lead to further damage or even serious injury if you were to get involved in another small collision.
These are the main steps that you will need to take if you are ever involved in a collision, no matter how big or small it is. This can leave you feeling shaken, so knowing what steps to take is vital, although it is hoped that you will never have to use this information.
