What To Do in an Accident
Britain’s roads are a hazardous place. 59 people are injured in car accidents everyday, but there are also a huge number of smaller accidents and scrapes where no injuries are incurred, but damage is done to the vehicles of the drivers involved.
Knowing what to do in the case of a car accident is extremely important. Gathering the necessary information and acting in the right way at the scene of an accident can make it much easier to prove fault and making an insurance claim.
So, to get you up to speed and in the know, here is our guide to what to do after a car accident…
1. Stop
It should go without saying that if you are involved in a car accident, no matter how small it may be, you must stop immediately. Failure to do so is a criminal offence and will only make your situation worse. If the car can still be driven you should pull over at a safe place. If the car cannot be driven then turn the engine off and put your hazard lights on to alert other road users.
2. Call 999 or 101
If anyone has been injured in the accident you should call the police and an ambulance immediately. The police should also be called if the vehicles involved in the accident are obstructing the road.
3. Give your details
If damage has been caused to anyone else’s vehicle or property then you must give your details, even if no other people are involved. That includes your registration number, name, address, contact details and insurance company. For example, if you hit a parked car you should leave your details on the windscreen; if you’ve damaged street lamps, signs, bollards etc. then you should report the accident at a police station as soon as you can.
4. Collect details
You should also collect the details of the other parties involved. This includes the names and addresses of other drivers, passengers and any witnesses and their contact details. You should also ask the other drivers involved for their insurance details to help establish whether they’re the registered keeper of the vehicle.
At this point you should avoid saying sorry or admitting fault for the accident until you know exactly what happened. If any of the other drivers involved leave the scene of the accident without giving you their details you should call 999 immediately.
Other information you may need
You should collect as much information from the scene of the accident as you can. That includes:
- The time and date of the crash
- A description of the weather conditions
- Anything unusual about the road quality or lighting
- A description of damage to the vehicles and any injuries sustained
- Photographs of the accident
The final thing you need to do after a car accident is to contact your insurer as soon as you can. You should always tell your insurance company about a car accident even if you do not intend to make a claim. You will need to give your insurer as much information as you can about the accident. That includes the name, address, contact details and vehicle registration number of other drivers. You should also provide as much detail as you can about the accident, including how it happened and any photographs you took at the scene. You should also provide the contact details of any witnesses.
5. What’s next?
At this point, if you have a claim to make then your insurance company will lead you through the process and explain what you need to do. They will also contact the insurance providers of the other parties to resolve any claims.
Now you know what to do after a car accident it’s time to make sure you’re properly covered. To get a low cost car insurance quote from the specialist insurers at Tradex, please get in touch with our team.