It is estimated that Americans drive around 3.15 trillion miles a year. That’s around the same distance as someone driving between Earth and Pluto around 600 times! So, it’s not all too surprising that there are higher chances than ever of experiencing accidents on the roads. Accidents can unfold from a variety of factors, such as poor road conditions, poor weather conditions, poor driving – or a combination of these. No matter how good a driver you may be, it’s important that you know how to deal with incidents on the road just in case. Here are a few steps that you should follow!
Stop Your Vehicle
Always stop at the scene of any incident that you have been involved with. It is a legal requirement of you. If you drive away, not only are there moral problems with your behaviour, but you may find yourself facing legal action too!
Call for Medical Help
If anyone involved is physically hurt or in shock, you need to call for medical help or assistance. Generally speaking, you should contact the emergency services, as an operator will be able to dispatch the relevant help.
Exchange Insurance Details
In order to make a claim for any damage to your vehicle or other property, you will need to collect details from other drivers involved in the incident. You should take the make and model of their car, their full name and address, and a contact number. If possible, also take their insurance details. If there are witnesses, you might want to take their details too, so they can bear testimony of what happened.
Request Legal Help
If you have been injured or
Take Photos
If possible, take photographs of damage caused by the collision or incident. Whether this damage is to a vehicle or your body. This will help to make claims easier, as you will have photographic evidence as support.
Sure, this may all sound like a lot to bear in mind when dealing with what will already be an overwhelming and stressful situation. But by following the above steps, you should be able to move on as smoothly as possible from an incident on the roads!