No one wants to be in an accident, but they happen all the time. If you’re lucky and end up in only a minor accident without injuries, it’s important to know what to do next. This article will help guide you through the immediate steps you should take after ensuring your safety.
Move to the Side
After the accident, it’s good practice to move away from the road and find the closest place you can be safely out of the way. You don’t want to cause even more of a jam or put yourself at risk by standing in the middle of the road.
Call a Police Station
You should call the police once you’re out of the way. The best practice is to call emergency services and report every detail you can about the incident as soon as possible. This will put everything on record and help the dispatcher know who they need to send to the accident scene.
Get the Police Report
Once the police get to the scene, let them guide you through the exact steps to take. However, you’ll need to get the officer’s name and a police report from them before they leave. This will be vital for insurance and the courts if you need to involve them later.
Exchange Contact Information
At this time, try to get the other driver’s contact information, as this will be very important for insurance and the court. This includes:
- Name
- Phone number
- Address
- License number
- License plate
- Vehicle make and model
- Insurance plan information
Once you have all the information, call your insurance company and report the accident. Also, avoid talking about liability until you speak with your lawyer to avoid getting yourself into any trouble.
This is what you should do in case you end up in a small accident. However, you can prepare for minor incidents beforehand by knowing about protective mods like bumper guards and investing in them. You’ll need to organize all your information for insurance and the courts, too, so spend some time documenting all the damage and arranging everything for them.