Car Accident? 10 Essential Things To Do Right After!

Oh dear! You’ve hit a car! Wait, didn’t that automobile race out from nowhere right into the middle of the street, while you had the green light? Now you're in a car accident! What are you supposed to do? Well with over 380,000 motor vehicle accident every year in Canada, you're bound to be in a car accident, so be prepared. Whatever your car accident scenario though, be it a major or minor car collision, when you find yourself involved in a car crash, it’s best to know in advance what to do right after the accident to avoid potentially harmful and expensive mistakes, and to safe-guard your car insurance claim after a car accident. Knowing what to do at the time of that auto accident can also lessen your fear, stress and confusion about the situation, and help to keep you focused on the tasks ahead.

After you've read this car accident information, you may want to print out this page and keep a copy of it in your glove box, so that you have it easily at hand just in case. Here's what you need to know:

1) Stop -Arrêt

If you are involved in a driving accident, STOP your vehicle! Do not drive away! By Canadian laws (the Highway Traffic Act & Criminal Code), it is illegal to drive away from an auto accident, no matter how minor. Leaving the accident scene may lead to criminal actions against you, a jail term, a hefty fine and seven demerit points.

Furthermore, any driving convictions you incur, like leaving the scene of a car accident, could affect your car insurance ratings and car accident claim later on.

2) Remain Calm

Everyone always tells you to do this, but it can be very difficult to do, what with the surprise, confusion and adrenaline rush of a car accident. Still, it is very important that you stay calm so that you can better handle the situation. Accidents happen, so just focus on dealing amicably with all others involved in the car accident and determining your next steps to take. Avoid arguing with others at all cost. Let the police deal with any agitated drivers or passengers.

3) Do NOT Claim Fault

This cannot be stressed enough! Even if you believe you are at fault, DO NOT say that you are at fault, nor voluntarily accept responsibility for the vehicle accident, nor assume liability for anything, nor sign any papers at the scene, nor agree to pay for any damages when speaking with others at the auto accident; even when speaking with any investigating police officer. What's more, tell your version (without claiming fault of course) of what you believe happened and what your actions were only to the police officer at the scene and to your car insurance company agent.

For example, if your car insurance adjuster, some time later, is finding it difficult to decide based on their assessment practices who is at fault or at a higher percentage of fault, and you had told everyone at the accident scene that it was your fault, who do you think they will asses as being most at fault?

Don't claim liability at the auto accident scene, just wait for your auto insurance company to asses the accident information and make their determination. Their decision of who is at fault is what will affect your car accident claim and future car insurance rates.

5) Check For Injuries and Substance Influence

Once you have called the police, check to see If there are any injuries. Check yourself to see if you have obtained any injuries, and check if the other people involved have sustained any. You may not feel or notice any injuries immediately, because of the excitement of the accident, but you may feel differently over the next 48 hours. If you have any injuries and are mobile at the car accident scene, go to a hospital, clinic or your family doctor after the police have given you the go-ahead to leave the accident.

Check the accident scene also for drunkenness or any appearance of substance influence. Remember, if injuries exist, do not move anyone , because moving that injured person may exacerbate their wounds; wait for the police and ambulance to arrive at the car accident.

4) Call The Police - 911

When safe to do so, exit your vehicle and move yourself to a safer location (usually that means locating yourself the farthest away from on-coming traffic). if your location is not safe enough for you to exit your car safely, stay in the car with your seat belt buckled, and call the police or 911.

By law, the police must be called if there are any serious car accident injury or car damages over $1000. Failure to call them could mean a jail term, up to a $1000 fine, demerit points and other legal actions.

Whether you're in a single or multiple car collision, look around and see if there are any injuries or damages to the car(s). If your car damage is less than $1000, and you had called the police, they may opt not to travel to your accident scene.

If the police do go to your accident, they will usually check to see if there are any injuries, call an ambulance if necessary, re-route traffic away from the collision, ask questions about the accident of everyone, write an accident report, call a tow truck, determine in their opinion who is at fault, and give follow-up instructions. Note that sometimes the police will not make an accident report for very minor car accidents.

If the police do not go to your car accident, you will have to take your car to the nearest Collision Reporting Centre (CRC) or police station to file a car accident report with the police yourself, and have your vehicle inspected and any damage to it photographed. By the way, you MUST go to a Collision Reporting Centre within twenty-four hours of your accident, and remember to bring all your automobile documentation with you.

7) Exchange Information

Write down all the details concerning the accident like:

• the date and time
  
• location of the car accident (city/town)
• road surface
  
• weather conditions
• street names
• posted speed limit
• amount of traffic
• the investigating police officer's name and badge number (if any police attended at the accident)
• contact information (full names/addresses/ telephone number) of any witnesses
• contact information of all passengers in your car, and passengers in the other car at the time of the accident
• your thoughts on what happened to cause the car accident
  

Plus, write down all the usual accident information concerning the other driver including:

• the other driver's full name
• contact information (telephone number / address)
• driver’s licence number
• car insurance company
• auto insurance policy number
  
• the full name and contact information of the registered owner of the other driver's car if it is different
• the other car's licence plate numbers, and
  
• the vehicle information (year/make/model/colour/VIN) of the other car.
  

Once that's done, give your vehicle information to the other driver. Sometimes, exchanging information is near impossible to do, because the other driver is irate or refuses to give you their information. At times like these, it is better to call the police or if already called, to wait for the police to arrive and have them deal with the situation. Failing to exchange information after a car accident is against the law and could lead to a fine of up to $1,000, three demerit points, possible licence suspension and jail time.

6) Take A Picture

Usually it is your word against the other driver’s. A picture is worth a thousand words. A picture could help to prove your point or show the car accident in the correct light.

Hopefully you read my article Car Emergency Kit: Every Driver Should Have One, and made yourself an emergency car kit, so that now you have may survival items in your car including a camera in your glove box along with copies of this story and accident report forms. Now get out that camera, or camera phone, and take lots of pictures of the car accident and everything!

Consider taking pictures of the location of all the vehicles from different angles, the street name(s), all damages (if any) to the car(s), the surrounding accident area in relation to where all the vehicles are located including the location of the sidewalk, traffic lights, road condition, etc. Also discretely take pictures of the other driver(s) involved, any passengers, all witnesses, and any injuries.

8) Move Your Car To The Side

Once you’ve done the above steps, and if you are in a minor fender bender, and if it is safe to do so, steer your car to the shoulder of the road, so that you do not block traffic nor potentially cause any new auto accident. Turn on your hazard lights also to notify oncoming traffic.

If you are in a more serious automobile collision, wait until the police have arrived and have gone over the accident scene before moving your car. Once you have the police go-ahead, and if your car is in a drive-able condition, move it to the side. Should your car be too damaged thus unable to be driven, turn on the hazard lights and put out warning triangles (if you have any) around the car to warn on-coming traffic.

If your vehicle is badly damaged and can't be moved, a tow truck will eventually arrive to take it to the nearest Collision Reporting Centre. Watch out for unscrupulous tow-truck operators who may tow your vehicle elsewhere (ex. a repair shop) than to a Collision Reporting Centre. By law, tow trucks must tow your vehicle to the nearest Collision Reporting Centre or if that's too far away, the nearest police compound. Your car does not have to be towed to a repair shop first.

9) Do NOT Repair Your Car Until...

Wait until you have been given the go-ahead by your car insurance company, or directed to do so by the police before making any repairs on your car. Until then, only do what is minimally necessary at the time of the accident to move the car safely off to the roadside (like changing to the spare tire) or to move it to the police Collision Reporting Centre .

10) Call Your Auto Insurance Company

As soon as possible after the car accident, report the collision to your auto insurance company. According to law, you must report your car accident within a reasonable time.

According to your car insurance policy, you have up to seven (7) days after the car accident within which to call your insurance company and report your car insurance claim to them, but this time frame may be delayed if you have extenuating circumstances like your being wounded in the car accident. If serious circumstances exit in your situation, then you must call your insurance company as soon as you reasonably can.

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callmefoxxy.com, my pen is a mighty sword!

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