| |
What to do when you have a car accident
In the UK car
accidents happen every day. According to government statistics, in 3,508 people were killed in road traffic accidents, 33,707 were seriously injured and
253,392 were slightly injured .
There are some 30 million cars on the road and many towns and cities are often heavily
congested. Car
accidents can range in severity, but fortunately those in the majority are low speed bumps or accidents
that result in only minor damage to vehicles and slight injuries to the occupants. Most people expect to have
at least one car accident in their driving career. It is inevitable that with so many cars on the road that
you might come bumper to bumper with another motorist because of either your own actions or the actions of the
other driver. Being involved in a car accident
is one of life’s inevitabilities, the best thing drivers can do is to try to stay safe and know
what to do if the worst does happen.
Being involved in a car
accident is traumatic and often leaves people involved with a fair amount of shock. As long as you are fit
to do so it is very important following a car
accident that you do a few things before you leave the scene that will put you in good stead in terms of
making a car insurance claim or pursuing a personal
injury compensation claim. If you have been injured because of someone else’s dangerous or careless
driving then you are legally entitled to pursue compensation. To do this however, it is important to prove
that the accident was not your fault.
Immediately after your car
accident your priority is for your health and for the health of the other people involved in the car accident. If you have been injured or you can see
that someone else has been injured and you are able to do so, you should call an ambulance.
If you are unhurt and the accident was minor then you should do the following things:
- You should always stop if you are involved in an accident, however minor. It is against the law to
drive away from an accident. If you have caused an accident and someone has been injured you could face
a more serious conviction for leaving the scene
- Call the emergency services. If anyone has been injured then call an ambulance, if the road has
been blocked or someone has driven away from the scene without leaving details then call the police
- Get the names and addresses of any witnesses at the scene. This will be helpful for proving who
caused the accident and can be used as evidence when making a car accident compensation claim at a later date
- You must exchange details with the other drivers involved in the car accident. The details you need to get are the name,
address, telephone number, vehicle registration, insurance company and the policy number if they have
these details on them
- Try to remember as much detail about the accident as possible. Many people these days choose to
carry a small disposable camera just in case of an accident. Some people also have a camera in their
mobile phone. If you have then take pictures of the scene and any damage to your car. This will be used
as evidence later when making a claim
- Whilst you shouldn’t admit liability for an accident at the scene it may pay to say
you’re sorry anyway. If you can clear the air with the other driver at the scene then it may be
easier to process your insurance or
personal injury claim at a later date. Even if you were not responsible for the accident it is
important to cooperate with the other person
- All accidents must be reported to your car insurance company even if you don’t want to make a claim. If you intend to make a
car accident claim they will need to know as much detail about the car accident as possible. You need to
tell them the following:
- The names, addresses and telephone numbers of any witnesses to the accident
- The time and date of the accident
- Details of the police who attended, if at all
- The names, addresses, registration details and insurance details of all of the people involved
(other drivers)
- You may need to supply a sketch of the accident and a statement about what happened. If either
party is disputing liability then details of the event will be required
If you are involved in a car accident and need advice or wish to make a personal injury claim then help is available. Car Accident Advice Line, can help you to get back on the road and
to get your car repaired. If you need to make a personal
injury claim or need a replacement car, then
we can be of assistance. Call us now on 0808 143 43 42.
|
|
