Apr 25, 2017
If you’re unfortunate enough to find yourself in a car accident, it’s important to know how to handle the situation. Car accidents can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety, which is why it’s vital to react with a clear head and mind. Here are the basic dos and don’ts of how to handle a car accident:
If you’re involved in a car accident, you MUST stop. Driving away from the scene is an offence under the Road Traffic Act, so make sure to pull over as soon as possible.
It’s important to exchange your name and address with the other driver. If no offence has been committed and the accident was very minor, you won’t have to do anything else.
You need to call the police and an ambulance if someone has been injured in the accident. You’ll also need to call the police if the car accident has blocked the road or you feel like the crash was a “crash for cash scam”.
Remember to write down all the important details about the accident such as the time, date, location, traffic conditions, weather conditions, road signs, vehicles involved, people involved and whether the incident was caught on camera via CCTV or mobile phone etc. When recording details about the vehicle, remember to include the model, registration number, number of passengers and its condition.
Whether the accident was minor or serious, you must not leave the scene. You should stay and handle the situation accordingly. If you decide to flee after an accident, you could be committing a felony since it’s a crime to run away from the scene of an accident.
You should avoid taking any blame for the accident until the details have been clarified. Don’t put yourself in an even worse position by apologising relentlessly as this could turn against you in court.
Call your insurer as soon as possible and let them know what happened. You must do this if you plan on making a claim or not. It’s also worth taking the time to become more familiar with your insurance’s claim policy so that you know whether you are eligible to claim or not.
There aren’t many more frustrating things than having to deal with the aftermath of a car accident. As a valued MyCarNeedsA.com customer, we’re committed to offering you access to accident management services which will get you back on the road as quickly as possible, and minimise disruption to your plans and routine. Find out more about our FREE Accident Aftercare.
