The National Safety Council estimates that there were $152 billion dollars in damage from auto accidents in 2015 in the US alone. These are unfortunate statistics but the numbers don’t lie, chances are you will be involved in at least one auto accident in your lifetime. Those numbers are scary but what is even scarier is being unprepared when you find yourself in an auto accident. Auto accidents lead to confusion, anger, and parties involved attempting to figure out what to do next, so what should you do if you’re in accident? Here are some reliable steps to get things moving along with the right direction should you find yourself in an auto accident.
What Should You Do If You’re in an Accident?
- Dial 911 and seek immediate help if you think there are injuries. Even minor accidents can lead to serious injuries. Your very first step should be to contact emergency services if you think there are any potential injuries.
- Move your auto if able to, especially if you are impeding traffic.
- Call local authorities. Even if there are no injuries you need to contact local authorities to record the crash, take information, and help get any secondary services such as a tow truck. As soon as you’ve confirmed that everyone involved is in good health, contact local authorities. Record the responding officer’s name, their department, and their badge number.
- Exchange information with the other driver. Here are some items you will need from any other parties involved before you leave the scene. Get the following information from all involved in the accident, even if they weren’t driving.
- Name
- Phone number
- Address
- Insurance provider and phone number
- Insurance agent or policy number
- Email address
- Take photos of the accident if able to. These may help the local authorities, your insurance agent, and body shops.
- Contact your insurance agent. They can help figure out what your next steps are or help with roadside assistance. Contact your insurance agent as soon as you’re safely able to.
- When all information has been taken, and the local authorities have given you permission to, you can leave the scene.
These steps may not always be applicable depending on the situation but utilizing the above steps is the best way to help get things back on track after an auto accident. Our Arvada auto repair experts recommend having your car checked out even after minor accidents, because you never know what might be wrong you don’t see during and after the accident.