Table of Contents
Introduction
When you’re in an accident, it can be hard to think about what steps to take. After all, you’re usually shaken up and anxious about your car and its condition. But don’t let those feelings distract you from doing the important work that needs to happen after an accident happens—like making sure your car is repaired so it’s safe again. So no matter if this is your first accident ever or if you’ve been involved in a collision before, here’s what should happen after any fender bender:
Call the police
If your vehicle is damaged and/or there are injuries, you should call the police. If you’re unsure whether to call the police or not—go ahead and do it anyway. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially if you don’t want to be held responsible for damages later on. Even if no one was injured in an accident (bruises and scrapes are considered “injuries” by insurance companies), there may still be property damage caused by either passenger(s) or other drivers involved in accidents that require police assistance.
Make sure everyone is safe.
After the initial shock of the accident has passed, it’s time to assess everyone involved. Chances are, you’re still in a state of shock, so take off your seatbelt and get out of the car if you can. If there are other drivers or passengers in their cars (or on foot), check on them and make sure that they’re okay. If not, open their doors to see if they need help getting out safely. Lastly, check yourself for injuries; according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), more than half of all crash victims suffer an injury from their collision!
Next up is investigating your vehicle—don’t worry about looking under its hood now; just take a look around at any obvious damage from another vehicle or objects like trees or poles before moving forward with calling authorities. Once everything has settled down again, take a moment to make sure no one else needs assistance before making phone calls about what happened so an investigation can begin immediately after first responders arrive on the scene due to high-risk accidents being reported first rather than lower-risk ones like fender benders because there may be unseen injuries that require immediate medical attention before life-threatening complications arise later down the road when someone tries walking away feeling fine but then collapses due to internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma sustained during impact against something solid such as metal walls inside cars or concrete surfaces outside them which could have been avoided had to help arrived sooner after calling 911 immediately after noticing suspicious symptoms such as dizziness/drowsiness/confusion etcetera…
Inform your insurance company about the accident.
Inform your insurance company of the accident as soon as possible, even if you don’t think it’s serious. It’s best to notify them at the scene, while they can still investigate and get information from witnesses.
You may also want to call your insurance provider after speaking with the police on the phone or in person about an accident report number that can be used for future reference.
When talking with your insurance agent, give him or her all of the details about what happened so that he/she can handle getting things straightened out for you quickly and efficiently:
- What happened? Was there an object in their way? Were they distracted by something or someone else? How fast was each driver going? Was speed a factor?
- Who was involved in this incident? Who else was injured besides yourself (if anyone)? If there were other vehicles involved, what were they doing at the time of impact (moving forward toward another vehicle)? Do any witnesses have any more useful information than we’ve already covered here today?”
This is an important process after a car accident that’s why you need to get your car insurance from a reliable company.
Collect information
- Get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all drivers involved in the accident.
- Get the names and contact information of any witnesses who saw what happened.
- Get the name and contact information of anyone who owns property that was damaged by your vehicle or another vehicle involved in an accident.
- If there were passengers in your car during an accident, make sure to get their names, contact information, and medical records (if necessary).
Take photos
Once the accident is over and everyone is safe, it’s a good idea to take photos of the scene. That way, you can document what happened and be able to prove your case later on if necessary.
A few other things you should keep in mind:
- Take photos of any damages to your car. If you’re lucky enough not to have been injured in the accident (and perhaps even if you were), this may be one of the most important things for you to do after an accident. If someone else caused your car damage, they’ll probably try their best to deny responsibility or blame it on another driver or circumstance entirely—but having clear evidence that shows otherwise could help win your case later on down the road. Just remember: don’t touch anything unless there’s something wrong with it! Letting anyone else drive away with a damaged vehicle can lead them into further trouble down the line as well (for instance: driving around without brakes).
Exchange information with all drivers involved
It can be hard to think straight after you’ve been in a car accident, but it’s important to exchange information with all drivers involved. This includes your name, address, and phone number as well as theirs. You should also ask for their insurance information and license plate numbers. If there are any witnesses around who saw what happened or could provide other helpful information (like the name of a driver who fled), get their contact details too.
Get an accident report or claim number.
You can get a claim number from the insurance company, or you may be able to find it on your car’s registration. If you have not yet contacted your insurance company, do so as soon as possible. If you are not sure who to call and do not have a claim number yet, contact any of the following:
- The police department that responded to the accident
- Your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or Motor Vehicle Division (MVD)
- Your automobile association
Seek medical attention.
If you’re injured, you should receive medical attention immediately. You can be checked for any injuries or ailments that might require treatment. If you are not injured but believe that further action is needed to make sure you aren’t hurt in the future, then it is also recommended that you see a doctor.
If your vehicle was damaged or totaled by the accident, your car insurance company may ask for some proof of this damage before they will fully compensate you for your losses. A doctor’s report will help with this process and prevent any disputes later on down the road.”
After a car accident, take these steps to make sure you protect your rights.
After a car accident, there are steps you should take to protect yourself and your rights in the event of any legal action.
- Call the police. After an accident, it’s important that you call the police so they can document what happened—otherwise, it could be difficult to prove liability later on.
- Make sure everyone is safe. If someone was injured in the crash or if any cars were damaged too badly to drive away from the scene, make sure no one gets back into them until authorities arrive.
- Collect information about everyone involved in the crash: driver’s license numbers; names; phone numbers; addresses; insurance companies and policy numbers (the first six digits are usually sufficient for this purpose); vehicle identification numbers (VINs). It’s also helpful if everyone exchanges their contact information with each other at this point so that each driver has their counterpart’s number as well as relevant information like whether they have health insurance coverage or even a valid passport!