What to Do Following a Car Accident

After an auto accident, it can be very complicated to figure out what you should do next. Not only will you be shaken up and tense, but you also might not know who the proper parties are to contact and whether or not to get the police involved. Here is a straightforward list that you can keep in your wallet to give you some direction if this should happen to you.

1. Turn your vehicle off: Do not leave your car running while you get out to inspect the damage. Instead, put your car in park and turn it off—and don’t forget to take your keys from the ignition.
2. Get out of the car to look at the damage: Make sure that you are in a safe place out of the way of oncoming traffic. Then, get out of the car and take a look at the damage that was done to both your car and the other car (or cars) involved.
3. Call the police: If the damage is very small, then you may not want the police involved. But to be on the safe side and avoid any potential legal problems, having a police report and witness statements can work in your favor.
4. Swap information with the other motorist: Get the name, address and phone number of the other driver or drivers involved. Also make sure that you take down their insurance information, license plate number, make and model and jot down a description of the cars and the incident as well as the damage.
5. Get witness information: If there were any witnesses, make sure to get their names and contact information.
6. Call your insurance company: Some insurance companies have claims adjusters who visit accident scenes. Call your insurance company to discover if this is also their process—unless you decide that the damage is minor enough that you don’t need to involve your insurance company.
7. Take pictures: If you have a camera on your cell phone or a disposable camera in your glove compartment, make sure to snap some pictures of both cars and the roadway, and anything else that might have factored in to the cause of the accident.

No matter what you settle on to do in terms of police or insurance company involvement after your accident, make sure you document all the information that you can after the occurrence and that you keep yourself safe while exploring the damage and talking to the other driver.

For more information about Denton auto insurance, call Insurance Connection at 940-382-4700.