Car crashes are terrible things, and if you survive one, you can consider yourself a lucky person. The truth is that even if you are the best driver, you follow all the rules carefully and pay attention to the road, an accident could still happen. This is because other drivers may not be as careful and good as you are, and they may still crash into you, causing the accident. A guy might be too angry and run a red light, or someone under the influence of alcohol might decide that it’s ok to drive instead of taking a taxi.
Whatever the case, if you survive a car accident, you need to stay calm and make sure to follow the right process after the incident. Here are the things you should do after you’ve survived a car crash:
- Look for Any Injuries
Even if you survived the accident, you might be injured, and so could be anyone else at the scene. Therefore, you should check whether there is another injured person, and if that is the case, you should call 911. The police and an ambulance should get there as soon as possible. The police have to be called even if the accident was minor and everyone is willing to cooperate. This way, you will be able to offer your insurance company an official report.
Sometimes, lawyers might also be involved in the process. For example, in November 2021, there was a three-vehicle accident that happened in the South of Carrollton, where two drivers got injured. Considering the damages and injuries for both parties, a Carrolton car accident lawyer would be necessary to help the persons involved get compensation.
- Collect As Much Information as Possible
After the accident, you should always exchange information with the people at the scene, including the drivers and any witnesses. Besides, you have to document the crash as well. It is alright if you only offer your name and insurance information to the drivers involved in the accident. At the same time, you should be careful. Interaction should be limited, just so you don’t end up admitting blame or guilt to the other people involved.
The information you get should also include photos of any damage, the phone number of the other driver, contact information of the witnesses, police report number, personal notes on the events, and the name and phone number of the police officer.
- If Possible, Move the Vehicles Out of the Way
The chances are that your vehicles are blocking the traffic after the accident, so you should consider moving to a safer area to allow other drivers to leave. Of course, this should only happen if the vehicles still work. Make sure to also set up reflective emergency triangles or flares if you have them. If there is an explosion risk, make everyone get out of the way instead.
- Think Whether You Should File a Claim
If you caused the accident and there isn’t a lot of damage, you may consider paying for the repairs of the other driver’s car. However, this can be quite pricey. Even small damages could cost thousands of dollars. So, you may still have to use your own insurance instead. The same goes if the crash happened because of the other driver.
We hope this article will help you prepare if you are ever a victim of a car crash. Just try to keep your calm, check for injuries and then try to gather information and evidence for a possible compensation claim.
