One of the biggest worries that most parents tend to deal with is their teenage kids finally getting their driver’s license. Road accidents are a daily occurrence and regardless of your age, experience, and how cautious you are, the possibility of being involved in an accident is always lingering. The likelihood is even higher if you are a new driver.

What to Do in a Car Accident

Despite this unpleasant reality, you shouldn’t have to live in fear and it shouldn’t deter you from driving. What’s really important is that you know how best to deal with a car accident in case you are ever involved in one. The following are some top tips on what to do if you ever get into an accident.

Remain calm. Being involved in an accident can be very distressing. You may experience a wave of emotions and this can easily distract you from everything that’s going on around you. Hence, it is important to take deep breathes and then count to ten as this enables you to keep calm and allows you to focus on the steps that you need to take next.

In case you were in the car with other drivers, you should check to find out if everyone is okay. Considering that some injuries aren’t usually visible or don’t fully manifest themselves immediately, you should contact 911 if anyone is experiencing dizziness or some kind of pain. You need to stay calm as you speak to the dispatcher, give them your name and contact details, and then clearly explain to them where you are and what transpired. Remain on the line until help arrives at the scene.

Depending on the traffic rules of where the accident happens, you may be permitted to move your car to the side of the road to get it out of traffic. If this is not allowed, then you need to put up early warning devices in order to alert other road users of the accident. 

The next thing that you need to do is to request the other drivers involved to provide you with their names, contact details, license numbers, and insurance information.  

If the accident is minor, then you need to note down everything about the accident, from the date, time, and weather conditions. Explain in detail everything that you can see in regards to the accident, such as the traffic signs, the vehicles involved, the streets, and the direction in which each vehicle involved was coming from. Use your camera or smartphone to take photos.

If possible, consider making a drawing of the crash site. Make it as precise as possible, identifying the location of each car and describing where each was coming from. Additionally, if there were any witnesses present at the scene when the accident happened, request for their names, contact details, and their description of how the accident happened. Their statements will be crucial proving what actually happened.

Doing all these things will enable the insurance companies and the court to better establish which party was at fault. In case of a more serious accident, you need to get the police involved and speak to a car accident attorney.

If you have been involved in an accident, then you might be feeling overwhelmed with intense feelings of fear and guilt, this is particularly so if it is a serious car crash. In case you are feeling a sense of trauma, then you should seek professional help or talk to a close friend or relative. By opening up about your negative feelings, you will be able to better deal with the accident. This way you will be able to get back to your normal life faster.