Car crashes are very common in the United States—that is, they claim tens of thousands of lives each year.
What’s the leading cause? Distracted driving. Basically, it’s when you engage in other activities (e.g. eating, drinking, adjusting vehicle settles) that diverts your attention from the road.
Other common causes include speeding, reckless driving, and driving under the influence. Bad weather such as rain or snow can also increase the chance of accidents.
Want to be prepared in case something happens? If so, you’re on the right page. We’ll be going over what to do following a car accident in this post.
Keep reading to learn more!
What to Do Following a Car Accident: 4 Things to Consider
There are certain steps that you want to take after a car accident. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Call For Help
First things first, you want to stay calm. If possible, try to move your car to a safe area before calling for help.
Wait for help to arrive on the scene and let them know what happened. Here’s a tip—don’t admit fault or blame the other party for the crash. Why? Your words can easily be used against you later.
For those who are interested in hiring a lawyer, you might want to check out this guide.
2. Gather Information and Write It Down
There are a few key pieces of information that you want to gather after a car accident. For one thing, you want to write down the vehicles involved (model, make, and plate numbers).
Not only that, but you want to ask for the driver’s name, contact information, driver’s license number, and insurance details.
If you can, try to gather the names and contact information of witnesses as well.
3. Take Photos As Evidence
You should always take photos of the crash scene. If anything, it’s the best way to preserve evidence.
To be more specific, you want to get pictures of your car, the damage it’s sustained as well as the other vehicles involved in the accident. In addition to that, it’s also a good idea to get photos of the crash scene.
They’ll come in handy when you’re dealing with your insurance company later.
4. Call Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurance company once everything is gathered. However, ensure to contact a local car attorney before. Most insurance companies are masters at negotiation. Local attorneys like a NY auto accident attorney can guide you on the right way of dealing with insurance companies.
While it may take some time, a claims adjuster will eventually tell you the amount that you’re responsible for. From there, you can take your vehicle to a car shop for repairs.
Knowing What to Do After a Car Accident
Hopefully, that answers the question of, “what to do following a car accident”. If anything, you never want to just leave the scene!
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