After a Car Accident, Prepare Before You Repair!
Did you know that, on average, there are more than 6 million car accidents in the U.S. each year, and 3 million people are injured in those accidents? Today car accidents are such a common occurrence that we often don’t think twice when we see or hear of them, except to be glad that we’re not the ones having to scrounge for our insurance cards. But with so many cars on the road, chances are we’re all going to be in a car accident at some time, and some forethought could make the whole experience a bit less painful.
Below is a list of items you should have available to you in your car at all times, just in case you’re in a collision.
- Driver’s license
- Insurance information
- Pen and paper
- Camera or mobile phone
After an accident, it’s not always easy to think of what you need to do going forward, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the following list.
- Pull over to the side of the road, if possible, to help prevent other cars from colliding with you.
- Call the police, even if the accident seems minor. A police officer can help you sort things out—especially if you have problems getting the information you need from the other driver.
- Make sure you’re in a safe place and are not extensively injured before exiting your car.
- Check to see if others are injured and ask for paramedics if needed.
- If everyone appears to be okay, exchange appropriate information. This includes the other driver’s name, address, phone numbers, driver’s license number, license plate number, and model and make of car. Next get his or her insurance information including name of company, address, and phone number of the representative you should contact. Ask to see documentation of the information from an insurance card.
- Take pictures of any damage.
- Give the other driver your information, but don’t say too much! Let the insurance providers assess the accident and determine who is responsible for the damage.
