Being involved in a motor vehicle accident can certainly be a life changing event. Below are a few tips to remember if you ever find yourself in a car crash. First of all, it is most important to try and stay calm. Depending on the severity of the accident, you’re going to have to make an assessment on whether or not to call the police and or ambulance. Therefore being in a panic stricken mode could impede your decisiveness.
You should evaluate if you sustained any bodily injuries. Even if no injuries are immediately apparent from the car collision, do not admit to anyone that you are fine until you have been thoroughly examined by a doctor. Occasionally automobile injuries such as “whiplash” appear several hours later after an accident as occurred. Prior to you getting out of your vehicle, make sure it is safe to do so. Depending on where the accident occurred and where your vehicle has come to a final stop, traffic could still be oncoming and could create a potentially hazardous situation for you.Be vigilant if you’re in a high traffic area such as on a expressway, a busy street or intersection. If possible communicate with the other driver to move your vehicles away from the traffic lane as much as possible. This of course, is only possible if your automobiles have sustained minor damage and are still drivable.
Be sure to get the other driver’s name, phone number, driver’s license number, insurance company’s name, and policy number. This information will aide in the smooth processing of your insurance claim. In circumstances where the police are called to fill out an accident report, which would probably be the case in most automobile accidents, make sure you are totally honest in stating the facts. Most times there will be other witnesses around to corroborate your story and you would not want to complicate matters further.
It is always best to notify your insurance company as soon as possible. This is crucial as some insurance companies require 24 hours notice for an accident claim to be filed or up to one year if you are unable to file a claim due to hospitalization. Your insurance policy will state the time frame required to file a claim. The general rule of thumb being the earlier you report your accident, the faster it will be settled.