Getting in a car accident while traveling isn’t something you would expect when you went on a journey, but hey, sometimes it happens, and there’s nothing you can do about it. To make it clear from the start, we are talking about minor fender-benders, as more severe car accidents will result in vastly different outcomes.
So, you’re cruising down the road, and someone rear-ends your car or you hit someone’s car, it doesn’t matter. Here’s what you need to do to remain in control of the situation, keep everyone calm, and if it’s not your fault, make sure the person who’s fault it is will cover all costs on vehicle repairs that you need to do.
And it all starts with making sure everyone is okay and safe.
It doesn’t matter who’s at fault. You have to make sure everyone is safe and doesn’t have any injuries from the impact.
Start with the passengers in your vehicle if you had any. Once you’re sure, everyone in your car and you yourself are okay, head over to the other vehicle, and make sure everyone there is okay.
If there’s someone who’s hurt, then it’s best to call an ambulance to take care of them. Once you make sure everyone is okay, it’s time to do the next thing.
Try to determine the extent of the damage.
It’s essential to try and determine the extent of the damage on both vehicles. That way, you can most properly see what has been damaged in the crash and what was damaged before the accident.
Consider taking photos to most properly document the accident and the extent of the damage. Most insurance companies will gladly accept photos from the accident.
But don’t forget to limit any conversation about the accident with the other party.
Make sure to limit any conversation with the other party about the accident. It’s best not to talk about who’s at fault.
Also, if you decide to take photos of the accident, ask the other party if they are okay with having their vehicle photographed. This will also help lawyers if they have to get involved in the process at a later stage. Check out the Lamber Goodnow website as they have expert information on the topic.
Call the police.
To have everything properly documented, call the police and calmly wait for the police officer to arrive at the location of the accident.
Make sure you don’t move the vehicles, as this would allow the police officer to include the most accurate information in the accident report.
And make sure you have all the information about the other party involved.
This is a vital part of the process to make sure everything is correct, and later on, the insurance companies will be able to do their jobs properly.
Start with an in-depth vehicle description of the other car involved in the accident. Include the color, make, model, and year of the vehicle. Try to go in most detail about the vehicle. This is where taking photos of the accident can help with more properly showing the car.
Make sure you have all the vehicle registration information on paper and the license plate of the other party.
Pretty much, these three above will be enough for the insurance company.
Getting in a car accident while traveling is a bummer, so make sure you stay calm throughout the process, as not to escalate the situation any further.
Featured Image by Akent879 from Pixabay