Car accidents are inevitable, and they are prevalent in the United States even if there are strict enforcement of traffic laws. These can cause injury to the passengers, drivers, and pedestrians plus damage to both public and private properties.
Witnessing an accident can be traumatic. It can cause you sleepless night, headaches, and problems in dealing with other people or even riding a car.
Thus, with the information below, you can be prepared for what to do next when you witnessed an accident on the road and will enable you to save lives immediately.
- Check For Injuries
The first thing to do is to check yourself, passengers, or pedestrians for injuries. Here are some tips on how to do it:
- If your body parts are bleeding, apply first aid. Use your clothes or other fabric in your car to stop the bleeding and make a tourniquet.
- If there is a crack in your body, try your best not to move it and call 911 instead.
- Move To Safety
If you can still move, stand, or walk, then try to move to the sidewalk. Carry your passenger, then grab his body and pull him on the side or ask him if he can stand and walk his body.
Moreover, if your car is good condition, pull it to the side of the road. Otherwise, leave it as it is and let authorities deal with it.
- Call For Help
You need to call 911 and let the responding officers deal with the accident. As soon as officers arrive at the accident area, ask them to bring you and your passengers to the nearest hospital to be evaluated by medical professionals.
Even if you only have a few scratches, you still must undergo a medical evaluation to make sure you don’t have broken bones or internal bleeding.
Turn off your car’s engine and turn your hazard lights on and use the road flares to signal other vehicles that you are in trouble and they must slow down.
- Exchange Information
After you make sure that you and your passengers are unharmed, you must now exchange contact information with the other driver. Regarding additional legal duties, you are obliged to share with the other driver your identification and proof of insurance and the same to the police.
Here are some of the information that you need to exchange with each other:
- Color, type, and model of automobile
- Contact information
- Driver’s license number
- Full name
- Location of accident
- Plate number
You may leave from the location of the accident once you have given the police all of this information. Remember to be careful of your words because what you say or do can be used against you.
- Take Pictures And Document the Car Accident
To protect yourself and the passengers, document the occurrence of the accident. Here are some of the procedures to take:
- Check if there are any witnesses at the scene of the accident. If there’s one, get their names and contact information too.
- Get the names and identity of the police officers that investigated the truck and vehicle accident.
- Go to the police station and have a copy of the accident report.
- Write down the names, contact numbers, and addresses of all the parties involved in the accident. Do take note as well the number of passengers and pedestrians affected.
- Take pictures of your vehicle and the other party’s vehicle. Make sure that you take shots from various angles to show the extent of damage done to both cars. Also, don’t forget to take pictures of the car’s plate number.
Compile all the information you’ve gathered. Have both soft and printed copies just to be sure you have a back-up.
- Contact Your Insurer About The Accident That Happened
Lastly, notify your insurance agent of the accident that happened. Call him immediately, especially if you are still on the scene. But if you need to see a doctor, then call the agent right after attending to your wounds.
An insurance agent will give you advice on how to process your claims and what are the things to expect during the entire process.
Even the most seasoned drivers can leave stunned after an accident, but if you call your agent immediately, they will guide you on how to proceed with the insurance and have your car repaired quickly.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, nobody wants to be involved in a vehicular accident since it can put their life at risk and bring considerable damage to their car. However, it can happen even if you are driving safely on the road.
Educate yourself on how you should react whenever you witness an accident. Train your mind to be calm even if the pressure is intense. Don’t forget to communicate with a lawyer, such as truck accident lawyers here, about your best move in the situation.
Save your life and the life of your passengers, get help from authorities, document the accident, hire a lawyer, file claims at your insurance, and settle the issue with the other parties involved. Be familiar with these steps, so you know what to do when an accident happens.
Joanne Reed has been writing about law and business for almost a decade, and is currently writing her next big law project. She is an avid sports fan and loves watching games if she has free time.