Accidents happen. In the US, there are about 6 million car accidents every year.
Tragically, half of those accidents involve injuries. About 3 million people in the US are injured every year in car accidents, and around 2 million experience permanent injuries.
The number of car accident fatalities is also terrible. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 8,824 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2020.
Unfortunately, car accidents aren’t always avoidable. They can happen to anyone due to the bad driving behavior of others, poor weather conditions, and plain bad luck.
But if you ever find yourself in one, it’s important to know how to respond. Here’s what you should do:
Stay calm
The first step is to stay calm. Accidents can be nerve-racking, stressful, and traumatic, but you don’t want to make the situation worse than it already is by overreacting or reacting poorly. This is especially important in the case of a Boston car accident. If you can keep yourself calm, then you have a better chance of making rational decisions that will help you in the long run.
So take a deep breath and try to keep your cool.
Check for injuries
Next, check yourself and other passengers for injuries. If anyone is seriously injured, encourage them to stay put and perform first aid (if you know it) without moving them.
Later, if it’s safe to do so, you can also check to see if other drivers and passengers are hurt and offer them your help.
Call the police
As soon as you can, call 911 (or have someone else do it).
They’ll dispatch a police officer and any necessary medical personnel, including paramedics and an ambulance. That way, you and others can get the medical attention you need.
The police officer will also talk to everyone involved in the accident to write up a police report. This will serve as an official report that you can hand over to your insurance company later on.
Get to safety
If possible, move your vehicle to the side of the road so you’re not at risk of getting hit by oncoming vehicles and you don’t obstruct the flow of traffic.
Then turn on your hazard lights and set up emergency triangles or emergency flares if you have them. This will help alert oncoming traffic to the accident scene.
In addition, moving to a safe location will help first responders get to you faster.
Exchange information
Exchange contact information (name, phone number, and address) with the other driver(s) involved and get their car insurance details (insurance company and policy number).
If there were any witnesses to the accident, try to get their contact information as well. And once the police officer arrives, jot down their badge number, too.
Document the accident scene
At this point, you want to document everything you can about the accident.
Write down the make, model, year, color, and license plate number of the other vehicles involved. Then write down the exact time and location of the accident, the directions the vehicles were driving, the moment of impact, and their relative positions. You may find it easiest to draw a diagram.
Then check for any damage to your vehicle and take photos of it. Lastly, don’t forget to take photos of any injuries.
Don’t admit fault
When talking to the other driver(s) involved, avoid discussing the details of the accident and definitely don’t admit fault. Just make sure the other driver(s) and passengers are okay.
Even if you think you’re at fault, you might be wrong. Wait until law enforcement and insurance companies assess all the facts and you talk to a lawyer.
Also, don’t agree to settle the accident without involving insurance and the police. If the other party offers you cash, for example, refuse it kindly. You don’t know what all the damages (and injuries) are worth. Accepting a cash offer could be settling well below what you deserve.
Notify your car insurance company
The sooner you notify your car insurance company about the accident, the better. If you wait too long, it could jeopardize how much coverage you’ll be eligible for (or whether you’ll be eligible for any at all).
After reporting the accident, you will get instructions from your car insurance company on how to file a claim. Hand over any information you have about the accident, including relevant evidence, contact information, and whatever else they request.
Keep good records
As you wait for your insurance company’s (or the court’s) decision, keep careful records of anything related to the accident.
For example, keep track of medical bills, job loss records, car repair receipts, email exchanges with other parties involved, and more. Such evidence may come in handy later on.
Consult an auto accident attorney
Finally, consult an experienced auto accident attorney. They can help you navigate the often complicated legal process around car accidents, negotiate with your insurance company for a higher payout, help protect you from liability, and ensure you get a good settlement if the case goes to court.
Most attorneys offer free consultations. So they’ll let you know what they think your case is worth and what to expect from the legal system at no cost to you. So you really have nothing to lose.
If you end up hiring a car accident lawyer, they likely won’t charge you unless you win your case. That’s because most work on a contingency basis, meaning they charge you a percentage of whatever compensation you win (usually 30%). So if you don’t win, you don’t owe anything.
Whatever you do, don’t sign anything without talking to a lawyer. Doing so could turn out to be a costly mistake.
Adding it all up
Nobody wants to get into a car accident. But it’s better to be prepared for one, just in case. You never know what could happen.
So review the steps above and commit them to memory. That way, if you ever find yourself inside a crashed car, you’ll know exactly what to do.
