You’re driving safely and carefully home from work and BOOM! You are in a car accident. No fault of yours. What should you do? Here are six things you should always do if you are in a car accident:
1. CALL 911
If someone is or may be injured, this will prompt the police and EMS to arrive at the scene of the accident. This will ensure immediate medical attention and will also ensure that a police accident report is prepared. Even if no one is injured, you still want the police to come to the scene to prepare an accident report.
2. KEEP CALM AND BE SAFE
Keep a cool head. Do not confront the driver of the vehicle at fault. Watch out for other vehicles traveling through or around the scene of your car accident. If the car accident is very minor, it is okay to move your vehicle to the side of the road. Otherwise, it is best not to move the vehicle until the police arrive.
3. DOCUMENT THE SHIPWRECK
If you can do this safely, take some photos of the vehicles where they have stopped. Take a photo of the license plate of the offending vehicle. Be sure to get the at-fault driver’s name, phone number, and insurance information from the investigating police officer.
4. OBTAIN MEDICAL PRECAUTION
If necessary, of course. But often, right after a car accident, our adrenaline is really high. This is as a result of excitement, fear, anger, or all of the above. You don’t realize you’re hurt until you calm down a bit. People went home after an accident, lay down for a few minutes, and died. Usually the consequences are not so drastic. The point is: take care of your body first and foremost.
5. GIVE THE HOSPITAL YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION
Even if the other driver is at fault, your auto insurance won’t pay your medical bills one by one as they occur. Your payment to you will be in a lump sum after the case is ready to be settled. Let your health insurance pay the bills. They will be entitled to reimbursement from the auto insurance company for the at-fault driver when the claim is settled. This will ensure that these bills are paid on time. Otherwise, bills could go unpaid for several months and negatively affect your credit.
6. CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY
After you have left the scene and received any necessary medical care, contact your auto insurance company and let them know about the car accident. You should do this, even if it wasn’t your fault. This is very important.