What to do if you’re in a car accident

Car accidents. They happen. It is a sad reality of driving and owning cars. All we can do is hope that everyone involved is uninjured.

In the unlikely event of a fender bender, you would need help to move your car or at the very least in getting it running so you can take it home or off to a workshop for further attention. In searching for a car breakdown company, you’re likely to come across 247 Home Rescue and wonder about their services. Read 247 Home Rescue reviews to see how they can help you in a time of need.

If you need your car towed to a repair centre, you can pick from a long list. Search through the reviews about car parts companies to get your head around what you might need and what to look for in such a company.

What to do if you’re in a car accident:

1) Stop your car and stay at the scene of the accident:

Once you’ve stopped your car, turn on your car’s hazard/warning lights to alert other drivers of your car’s position. Move away from your car to a place of safety as soon as you can. Check yourself to see if you’ve been injured and then head to see if any others have been injured in the accident. Contact the nearest emergency services to inform them of your accident, giving them your detailed location and the number of involved vehicles and occupants in the accident.

Move away from your car to a place of safety

2) Help those injured:

If you’re able to help the other people involved in the accident, help them move away from their cars to a place of safety too. If they’re in a critical condition, don’t move them. Direct the traffic around the accident scene and alert other motorists coming along the road of the accident.

3) Make notes:

The police and traffic services will help you record details of the accident, the crash scene, and the details of all people involved in the crash. Make notes on your smartphone, take as many photos of your vehicle, other vehicles, and the crash scene. You’ll be required to pass those details onto your insurer too, so make sure you have as much detailed information as possible. Important details to capture are:

the registration details of all cars

the exact time and date of the crash

  • a sketch showing the accident and the position of the vehicles
  • a description of weather of the time of your accident
  • a list of the damage to your car and all others involved in the accident

4) Report the incident:

Even though you might not have caused the accident, you must report the accident to the police within 24 hours. The police officers at the scene of the accident will inform you of which police station you need to visit. You will also need to inform your insurance company, even if you will not lodge a claim for repairs.