When you get into a motor vehicle accident, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and not know what to do next. However, there are some key steps you can take to help ensure your safety.
Move to a safe location
If you are able to, move your vehicle to the side of the road or to a nearby parking lot so that you and the other driver are not in danger of being hit by oncoming traffic. Also, be sure to turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers of the accident.
Check for injuries and get the police involved
Once you are in a safe location, check yourself and any passengers for injuries. If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately. Try not to move an injured person unless they are in immediate danger of further injury.
Even if there are no injuries, it is still a good idea to call the police so that they can create a report of the motor vehicle accident. This can be helpful later on when filing an insurance claim.
Exchange information
Once you have ensured that everyone is safe, get the name of the other driver as well as their contact information, insurance company and policy number. It is also a good idea to take pictures of the damage to both vehicles as well as any visible injuries. If the other driver does not have insurance or refuses to give you their information, you can still file a claim with your own insurance company.
After you have taken the above steps, there are a few more things that you can do to protect your rights and interests. First, try to get a copy of the police report. This can be helpful when filing an insurance claim.
