What To Do After a Car Accident In Five Simple Steps
Thousands of road accidents happen on Britain’s roads every year. Whether or not we like to admit it, these statistics mean that we all stand a reasonable chance of being involved in one ourselves.
No matter how safe a driver you think you are, you can never completely account for the mistakes or carelessness of others. It’s wise, then, to make sure you know exactly what to do should you ever find yourself the victim of a road traffic accident.
To help make this process as straightforward and memorable as possible, we’ve split it into five key steps. Follow these at the roadside if you ever need to (although we hope you never have to).
1. Stop in a safe place
Come to a stop after the accident as safely as possible. If your car is no longer drivable, don’t worry – just do your best to make it visible by switching the hazard lights on as soon as possible.
Switch the engine off to reduce the risk of fire – mechanical components could have been damaged in the accident, so turning the engine off is an essential safety step.
2. Make sure everyone is OK
Once you’re safely at a stop with the engine off, check on the occupants of your vehicle and any others that were involved in the collision (including yourself). If everyone is OK, make a note of this just to cover your own back – some may try to falsely claim they were injured after the fact for insurance purposes.
3. Call the emergency services
If the road is blocked or anything has been damaged (be it road signs, barriers or private property), call the police. If anyone is injured, call the ambulance as soon as possible.
4. Exchange details
If anyone else was involved in the accident, make sure you note down their details. It’s always a good idea to get their name, address, registration number and contact details, as your insurance company will need these if you make a claim.
It’s normal to be shaken up after a road accident, so don’t admit liability at the scene – there may have been more to the collision than you first thought. Try to keep calm and take a breather. If you feel the accident wasn’t your fault, try to capture photographs of the scene too.
5. Call for vehicle recovery
Finally, call a recovery company to get your car transported to safety. If your accident occurs in or near Cambridge, you can always count on our vehicle recovery Cambridge services.