No one likes to think about the possibility of being involved in a car accident. However, the harsh reality is that road traffic accidents happen every day in the United Kingdom. It is a good idea to have an understanding regarding how you should act if you are involved in a car crash so that you can go about things in the most efficient and correct manner. With that being said, read on to discover more about the important steps that need to be taken after a car accident.
Get medical attention – Let’s start with the most obvious point of them all: getting medical attention for you or anyone else that has been injured in the accident. This is something that does not really need further elaboration – it’s evident. However, it would not be right not to mention it!
Call the police – The police do need to be informed about the incident that has happened. But do they need to be informed about it on an emergency basis? There are a few things to consider here. If the accident has been a serious one, of course, calling the police is something that you must do. In addition to this, if the accident has involved any sort of criminal activity, you should, again, make contact with the police straight away. Examples of this include a driver without insurance or a driver that has fled the scene. Furthermore, if the crash site is now a danger to any oncoming traffic, do not hang around to call the police. They need to cordon off the area so that any further damage does not happen. If none of these scenarios applies, you can report the incident without disturbing the emergency services.
Glue your mouth together – Not literally, of course! But you do need to be careful about what you say. There are many people that have ended up implicating themselves for road traffic accidents that were not even their fault because they have said too much in the heat of the moment. You may panic and assume you were not paying enough attention to the road while driving your car. Little do you know that the other driver was under the influence of alcohol. Don’t assume and don’t say too much!
Get witness contact information – It is also important to get the contact details of anyone that witnessed the crash. Get their name, address, telephone number, and email number. If you do find yourself in a position whereby you want to make a claim for the accident, this information will certainly help.
Take photographs of the scene – Often, after a road traffic damage, there will be some level of damage to the scene. This could be extensive damage to your vehicle or even a traffic light or any other element on the roads. As most smartphones come equipped with cameras today, it should not be too difficult for you to take a quick snap of the scene. This will serve as great evidence. You should also take photographs of your injuries if they are visible.
Contact a lawyer – The final step in the process is only applicable to those who are not responsible for what happened. If the car crash has been caused by someone else, be it another driver or even the council for failing to maintain the roads properly, you could be able to claim. You can read this detailed article about the road traffic accident compensation process for more information. Not only will you be able to get compensation for the pain and suffering you have been subject to, both physically and psychologically, but also any expenses you have had to fund because of your injuries. Examples range from loss of income claims to claiming for travel costs and vehicle repairs.
As you can see, there are a number of important steps that need to be taken after a car accident. If you can follow the steps that have been mentioned, you can give yourself the best chance of ensuring everything goes as smoothly as possible in such a nightmare scenario. Of course, it can always be difficult to think clearly and rationally when you are involved in something like this. However, the only thing you can do is try your best to act in the right manner.