Understanding Dealing with Auto Accidents, Before During and After

by  |  On October 19th, 2012  |  In Car Articles

Everybody hopes they will never be involved in a car accident. While it is a particularly scary prospect if you’re driving a rare or otherwise special vehicle, no matter who you are and what you drive, car accidents are unbearable to think about. In spite of this however, understanding how to deal with them is essential in order for the damage to be mitigated should you find yourself in this situation. Being armed with this valuable knowledge can mean the difference of saving not only a great deal of money, but potentially somebody’s life. For this reason, the My Compensation team does a lot to educate people on how to handle the scene of a road traffic accident. Before we covered this information, let’s take a look at what can be done to avoid accidentally crashing in the first place.

Statistics of Lives Claimed in Traffic Accidents

While safety technology in vehicles constantly evolves to improve effectiveness, some countries such as the United Kingdom have seen an increase in deaths occurring as a result of vehicle collisions for the first time in many years. Taking a look at and considering this information highlights the somewhat disturbing fact that the vast majority of deaths that happened on roads could have been avoided easily. In fact, all of the main causes of death on the roads happen due to people not taking just a little bit of extra care. Using the UK as a case study, the year 2010 is the most recent with complete statistical evidence.

by Derek Harrison

The most common causes of lives claimed were:

  • Speeding (430 lives)
  • Failing to wear a seatbelt (300 lives)
  • Driving carelessly (300 lives)
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol (250 lives)

In addition to these figures, 40% of the collisions were as a result of people not looking properly at junctions and approximately 430 the lives claimed were from the age group 17 to 24 years. Take these figures into for consideration next time you’re going to embark on a journey in your car.

Of the steps

How to Handle the Scene of an Accident

If your vehicle has collided with another, it’s easy to quickly let the concept of liability takeover in the heat of the moment. However, the primary concern should be anyone injured at the scene so, for their sake and for the sake of your case should the matter go to court, control your temper. Who was responsible for the accident is going to be down to the court judges. As this is the situation you are in, it’s important that you act accordingly to make sure that your actions are primarily in the best interests of anyone who sustained a personal injury.

Here is a checklist to provide an outline for your collision scene strategy.

  • Never lose your temper
  • Call the emergency services ASAP if somebody is injured
  • Try to help Injured people as best you can while emergency services are en-route
  • Ensure noting insurance details of all other motorists involved in the crash
  • Having a license plate number will help with the pre-court processes
  • Use a cell phone to photograph damages and the area of the event from as many angles and distances as possible
  • Swap contact information with anyone who witnessed the crash happen
  • Never admit liability for the accident at the scene as you may be confused
  • At the earliest opportunity, take notes of the scene, the conditions and the sequence of events
  • Remain at the scene for an amount of time considered reasonable for the extent of the incident
  • If you suspect there was law-breaking involved, mentioned this to your motor insurers when you inform them about the collision

During the scene of the accident, things can be very disorienting. However, understanding this information now will help you to act effectively at the time. If you believe that a guilty party was driving negligently to have accidentally caused the crash, the above information will go a long way to prove your case.

What to Do After the Event of A Car Crash

The very first step should be to store all of the information gathered at the scene of the accident safely. A highly secure, very easy and also free method to store such information safely is to e-mail it to yourself. This will secure the valuable case evidence in a way which is easily accessible and will never be lost.

Remember also that if somebody was injured in the crash then it’s a legal requirement to report it to the police. In addition to this, it’s essential that you let your insurance company know what has happened.

If you decide to take legal action to claim compensation for the damage is done to your person or vehicle, ensure that the legal professional you’re considering hiring is registered with your country’s regulatory body. If somebody is experiencing some kind of trauma, there are a number of support groups in most countries which help with trauma for people who have been involved in accidental vehicle collisions.

Joe Langdon is a guest blogger and the longtime owner of a small automotive repair shop. When Joe isn’t working at his store, he can be found teaching courses in auto mechanics at a local high school.

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