What Should You Do After A Car Accident?
24 Aug 2020
If you are unfortunate enough to be part of a car accident, it is crucial that you take immediate action. Though car leasing allows you access to the most advanced safety technology in the industry, accidents still happen. How you act straight after a crash will affect how an incident is logged, which is important for your insurance claim later.
However, more importantly, in the moments following an accident, your immediate actions could lead to a far less critical scenario. So pay attention, and keep calm. The advice below will be a major benefit for what to do after a car crash.
Immediate Steps After A Car Crash
First, you must stop your car, turn off the engine and turn on your hazard lights. This is both for your safety, those around, and also proceeding traffic.
Assess The Damage
Next, you must establish the extent of your own injuries. If you are suffering from excessive bleeding, deep wounds, bruising, or head trauma (manifesting in dizziness, nausea or confusion), call an ambulance straight away. Likewise, this advice goes if any of your passengers or other individuals involved in the crash are suffering from an injury or head trauma.
It is advisable to use a smartphone or camera to log the damage of your car. This will assist in your insurance claim later. It is also useful for road traffic accident investigators for producing an examination of the event. In addition, a dashcam may generate a comprehensive step-by-step account of the incident through video footage. It is better to pay a little extra for a better quality cam for the sake of improved footage.
Call The Police After A Car Accident
You must then call the police, whether or not you deem the situation necessary. Depending on the urgency, either call 101 or 999. The police must also be called if the collision has created a roadblock, or you suspect foul play (for example a deliberate accident to the result of a scam insurance claim). If anyone involved leaves the scene without having supplied their details, you must contact 999 immediately. In any case, ensure the police are notified of an accident to whichever degree within 24 hours; cover your back!
What Do You Exchange After A Car Accident?
It is an obligation that you supply your name and address to others involved. Therefore, you should also produce your details when no other person is involved in an accident. Such events like knocking off a wing mirror or backing into a parked car mean you should leave your details somewhere accessible such as under the window wiper.
In addition, it is also the duty of others involved in an accident to give their details to you. If possible, you must take the contact details of other drivers involved, their passengers, and any eyewitnesses. You will also ask for insurance details, and attempt to verify proof of vehicle ownership.
Avoid acknowledging any personal responsibility at this time. Do not apologise or accept blame until it has been proven later.
What Should You Document Straight After A Car Crash?
Along with driver, passenger and witness details, try to find a way to log the license plate, make and model of the vehicle(s) involved. If you can, try and create a picture of the incident through a sketch. Meanwhile, write up an account of the event from a perspective that takes into consideration time, date and general conditions.
Factors such as lighting, weather and noticeable issues (for example poor road quality) should all be documented. By producing these details while the situation is fresh means the less time there is to forget or confuse certain stages or elements.
It is also helpful to document the damage to vehicles and injuries sustained upon the people involved as this is both useful evidence and could help with the investigation. As mentioned previously, your smartphone will be perfectly adequate for gathering visual evidence which is made even more effective with a dashcam.
How Can You Minimise The Damage Caused In A Car Crash?
Firstly, always maintain a high level of consciousness of your surroundings, and always forward-plan whilst you drive. Take your hands off your phone! Keep your eyes on the road. Ensure that consistent safety checks of your vehicle are completed. Check tyre pressure on a monthly basis, and use your eyes and fingers to gauge the quality of tyre tread.
If you feel at all unsafe driving your car; either it has exceeded its lifespan or it is becoming too expensive to maintain, do not allow finances to get in the way between you and safety while you drive. Car leasing opens up a whole new world of road safety. The most modern cars are equipped with updated, industry-leading technology that is purpose-built to enhance driver and passenger safety at all times.
Leasing a car is also incredibly advantageous to those who require more bang for their buck; car leasing allows accessibility to the car of your dreams with the latest specs and with minimal dents to your bank account, especially in comparison to buying a car outright. Click here to view the best car leasing deals supplied by Cars2buy!
However, more importantly, in the moments following an accident, your immediate actions could lead to a far less critical scenario. So pay attention, and keep calm. The advice below will be a major benefit for what to do after a car crash.
Immediate Steps After A Car Crash
First, you must stop your car, turn off the engine and turn on your hazard lights. This is both for your safety, those around, and also proceeding traffic.
Assess The Damage
Next, you must establish the extent of your own injuries. If you are suffering from excessive bleeding, deep wounds, bruising, or head trauma (manifesting in dizziness, nausea or confusion), call an ambulance straight away. Likewise, this advice goes if any of your passengers or other individuals involved in the crash are suffering from an injury or head trauma.
It is advisable to use a smartphone or camera to log the damage of your car. This will assist in your insurance claim later. It is also useful for road traffic accident investigators for producing an examination of the event. In addition, a dashcam may generate a comprehensive step-by-step account of the incident through video footage. It is better to pay a little extra for a better quality cam for the sake of improved footage.
Call The Police After A Car Accident
You must then call the police, whether or not you deem the situation necessary. Depending on the urgency, either call 101 or 999. The police must also be called if the collision has created a roadblock, or you suspect foul play (for example a deliberate accident to the result of a scam insurance claim). If anyone involved leaves the scene without having supplied their details, you must contact 999 immediately. In any case, ensure the police are notified of an accident to whichever degree within 24 hours; cover your back!
What Do You Exchange After A Car Accident?
It is an obligation that you supply your name and address to others involved. Therefore, you should also produce your details when no other person is involved in an accident. Such events like knocking off a wing mirror or backing into a parked car mean you should leave your details somewhere accessible such as under the window wiper.
In addition, it is also the duty of others involved in an accident to give their details to you. If possible, you must take the contact details of other drivers involved, their passengers, and any eyewitnesses. You will also ask for insurance details, and attempt to verify proof of vehicle ownership.
Avoid acknowledging any personal responsibility at this time. Do not apologise or accept blame until it has been proven later.
What Should You Document Straight After A Car Crash?
Along with driver, passenger and witness details, try to find a way to log the license plate, make and model of the vehicle(s) involved. If you can, try and create a picture of the incident through a sketch. Meanwhile, write up an account of the event from a perspective that takes into consideration time, date and general conditions.
Factors such as lighting, weather and noticeable issues (for example poor road quality) should all be documented. By producing these details while the situation is fresh means the less time there is to forget or confuse certain stages or elements.
It is also helpful to document the damage to vehicles and injuries sustained upon the people involved as this is both useful evidence and could help with the investigation. As mentioned previously, your smartphone will be perfectly adequate for gathering visual evidence which is made even more effective with a dashcam.
How Can You Minimise The Damage Caused In A Car Crash?
Firstly, always maintain a high level of consciousness of your surroundings, and always forward-plan whilst you drive. Take your hands off your phone! Keep your eyes on the road. Ensure that consistent safety checks of your vehicle are completed. Check tyre pressure on a monthly basis, and use your eyes and fingers to gauge the quality of tyre tread.
If you feel at all unsafe driving your car; either it has exceeded its lifespan or it is becoming too expensive to maintain, do not allow finances to get in the way between you and safety while you drive. Car leasing opens up a whole new world of road safety. The most modern cars are equipped with updated, industry-leading technology that is purpose-built to enhance driver and passenger safety at all times.
Leasing a car is also incredibly advantageous to those who require more bang for their buck; car leasing allows accessibility to the car of your dreams with the latest specs and with minimal dents to your bank account, especially in comparison to buying a car outright. Click here to view the best car leasing deals supplied by Cars2buy!