What to do after an accident

We all know that getting in a car accident is a very traumatic and trying time. When an accident first happens, it can be hard to know what to do. Capitol Collision has some tips to help make sure you get everything in order and make the process go as smooth as possible.

1. Pull away from Traffic and Stay at the Scene of the Accident

If your accident occurs on a busy road, be sure to pull off to the side of the road where it is safe for all of the people involved to get out of the car and assess the personal and physical damage. If you do not stay at the scene of the accident and someone else involved in the accident was injured, there is a possibility that you could be charged with a hit and run.

2. Check for Personal Injury

The next step is to check for personal injury. Take some time to calm down and relax and then check to see if you are injured. If you are not injured, check to see if anyone in the other vehicles is injured, that way medical professionals can be called as quickly as possible.

3. Call the Police

Chances are, by the time you have pulled off the road and assessed your injuries, the police have already been called. You are not required to call the police but it is good to make sure that you do so the call can be on the record. You never want to assume the police have been called, so just make sure you put the call in.

TIP! be sure to take pictures of all of the vehicles involved. Also take pictures of the scene where the accident occurred.

4. Exchange Insurance Information

Exchanging insurance information is one of the most important things you can do because it is necessary for the insurance companies to determine who is responsible to pay for the damages of the accident. Even if you do not have your insurance card handy, don’t panic, most times the police will give you 24 hours to take your insurance card to the police station to avoid getting a traffic citation. This does not mean that you may get a ticket for not having proof of insurance. Keep in mind, it is helpful to keep proof of insurance on your phone, it doesn’t hurt to have a backup just in case.

5. Call your Insurance Company

You need to put a call into your insurance company to give them your account of what happened. Be sure that you are honest because if any of the insurance companies involved determine that you falsified any information, you can be held responsible for paying for the repairs.

6. Take Proper Actions for Vehicle Repair

Hopefully no one was injured in the accident but a lot of times, it won’t be the same story for your vehicle. Insurance companies will a lot of times try to tell you where to take your vehicle but it is important that you take your vehicle to a reputable shop that you feel comfortable with having them perform your vehicle repair. Try to pick a shop with great customer reviews and an auto body shop that makes you feel like their number one customer. You have already been through enough, you want the rest of the process to be as easy and painless as possible.