No one plans to get into a car accident. It’s something that just happens, often because another driver makes a mistake.
What you can do, though, is to plan in advance so that you know how to react. If you’ve considered it prior to the crash, this can go a bit more smoothly. With that in mind, here are a few key steps to take.
See if anyone in the car is injured
Injuries are always your top priority. If someone is hurt, call the authorities. Seek proper medical assistance. Don’t worry about anything else before you address any relevant injures.
Don’t leave the scene, but move to safety if needed
This really depends on the location of the crash. If you can, though, you want to move your car out of the travel lanes and move yourself and anyone else in the car out of danger. Naturally, you may not be able to do this after a severe crash and you never want to entirely leave the accident scene.
Start documenting what happened
The fastest and easiest way to document what happened is to take videos and pictures with your phone. Don’t underestimate how important these may be. If the other driver contests your version of events and you have images showing that you’re telling the truth, it makes a world of difference.
Get the other driver’s information
If you can, talk to the other driver and get their license plate number, personal information and insurance information. Again, the best way to do it may simply be to take a picture of the plate or the other documentation. You can then provide this to the police and/or the insurance company as needed.
Start considering your legal options
Finally, you need to think about the legal options that you have. Did you suffer injuries in the crash, or did a loved one who was with you? These injuries could lead to pain and suffering, lost wages, high medical bills and many other expenses. You need to know how to seek compensation for those expenses.
