Nothing can ruin your day faster than getting in a car accident but it doesn’t have to be a devastating process.
Once you know what to do after a car accident, you can calmly take control of the situation and be proactive rather than reactive.
It helps to print out a list of steps and information you should take down so that in the midst of the aftermath, you won’t forget anything you need to do.
Whether you’ve only been in one accident or multiple accidents, the situation surrounding each crash can vary greatly but these steps afterwards remain the same.
Prepare Your Car
As Ms. Frizzle of “The Magic School Bus” says, “It never hurts to be prepared!” If you get into a car crash, keeping these things in your car will help you through the event.
- Pen & Paper
- A Print Out of Information to Take Down (See below)
- Phone Charger & Cell Phone
- Camera or Cell Phone Camera
- Cones, Warning Triangles, or Emergency Flares
- Car Insurance & Car Title Information
- Water
- Medical Information for Family
These are great supplies to keep in your car when you are traveling somewhere for emergencies. If you get into a fender bender or a wreck, this is the information to take down to provide to the police or insurance companies.
- Date and Time
- Direction Headed on What Street or Location
- Areas of Damage and Impact Location
- Name, Phone Number, and Address
- Driver’s License State and Number
- Car Make, Model, and Year
- Car License Plate State and Number
- Vehicle Identification Number
- Insurance Company, Phone Number, Effective Dates, Accurate Name or Relationship to Policy Holder, and Policy Number
- Any Witnesses’ Names and Numbers
What to Do After a Car Accident
Immediately after the car crash occurs, there are many important steps to take to make sure that you are safe.
- Take a deep breath and stay calm.
- Check to see if you and any passengers are ok.
- Move the car to a safer place on the shoulder of the road or into a parking lot and turn on your hazard lights.
- Make sure that the area you are in is safe, then place the cones around your car to mark off a safe area.
- If anybody is injured, call 911.
- Even if nobody is hurt, call the police to report the accident.
- Politely, collect the information above from the other driver but do not go discuss any more of the accident with them. Keep your detailed discussion with the police and insurance companies.
- Do not sign any documents unless it’s for the police or your insurance.
- Call your insurance company immediately to report the accident.
- Don’t leave the scene of the accident before the police or other drivers do.
Before You Leave the Accident
Once you get the all clear from police to leave, feel better that you knew how to take care of a car accident calmly and with confidence. If you cannot safely drive your car home, call a tow truck to a car repair shop that your insurance recommends to get a quote.
Follow the instructions of your car insurance company. You will get a call from the other driver’s insurance company to report your side of the accident in the next couple of days too.
Be sure to share this information with friends and family so that they can have a more positive experience after any future car accidents.
At AAMCO Colorado, we care about the safety of our customers. Make sure your vehicle is up-to-date with car maintenance for safe and dependable travels. If there are any questionable sounds or unordinary functions, bring your car into a local AAMCO Colorado shop for a free Vehicle Courtesy Check to identify any problems.