Car accidents are all too common. In 2020 alone, 35,766 fatal car accidents occurred on United States roadways. Another 1,593,390 crashes resulted in injuries, while 3,621,681 caused property damage. These statistics mean that a total of 5,250,837 collisions happened over one single year! It also means you are likely to experience a car wreck during your lifetime. To help you handle the aftermath, keep reading to learn about the six steps you recommend following after a traffic accident (and maybe a few more).
What Are The Six Most Important Actions To Help You Handle A Car Wreck?
These are six actions we think are the most important ones for you to follow when you experience a car wreck:
- Never leave the scene of an accident, even a minor one. Your priority should always be safety first; everything else can wait. Ensure everybody’s OK and get medical assistance if you or somebody else needs it.
- If the accident was minor and you’re not injured, carefully move your car off the road so it doesn’t obstruct traffic. Put your hazard lights on and set up reflective emergency triangles or flares to alert other drivers to the accident scene.
- Contact the police, and when they arrive, get the officer’s name and badge number, as well as their contact information. Also, be sure to get a copy of the accident report from the officer. You can request a copy of the report from your law enforcement office or the insurance adjuster handling your claim if the police don’t come.
- Use your cellphone to take pictures of documents or, with pen and paper, get everyone involved in the accident’s name, address, phone number, and driver’s license number. If the driver’s name doesn’t match the car registration or insurance papers, find out how the driver is related to the vehicle’s owner.
- Gather all vehicle information, including the year, make and model, color, license plate number, and VIN. Obtain the other party’s insurance policy number and the company’s phone number; the other driver may not report the accident as they should. See if witnesses can provide contact information and details about what they saw.
- Your vehicle may need to be towed to a collision repair center, depending on how much damage your car sustained. Many people have motor club memberships that include roadside assistance. The police may call a tow truck company for you, and some car manufacturers offer driver assistance programs, too. Please don’t just assume that a tow truck showing up at the crash is reputable; always verify credentials and take down all contact information.
What Else Should You Be Aware Of After A Car Wreck?
Here are a few more tips you should keep in mind after experiencing a car accident.
- Emotions can run high after a car accident, so if you note that the other driver is impaired or is acting aggressively, trust your instincts. Stay in your car and don’t interact with the person; police intervention might be necessary.
- Never share your Social Security number, insurance coverage limits, or any other personal information with someone you don’t know.
- You may feel perfectly fine after the accident, but some injuries only become apparent after a day or two. It is not uncommon to sustain serious spinal or head injuries from a minor impact, so be sure to visit your doctor if you experience pain or unusual symptoms. Injuries from a crash are usually included in your auto insurance claim, so it’s essential to document any physical harm that you think resulted from the accident.
If you need towing, hauling, or other roadside assistance services in Nashville, Memphis, or the surrounding areas, the professionals at Tow Pro will ensure that you are taken care of.
We strive for seamless vehicle recovery and maintenance with state-of-the-art equipment and customer service reps answering all your questions. Contact us at (615) 256- TOWS (8697) if you need us.