Even the most careful drivers can get into an accident because of the recklessness of the people they share the road with. All over the world, auto accidents remain to be one of the fatal road incidents. In the United States, an estimated 38,800 people lost their lives in 2019 because of car crashes. Although that represents a 2% decline from the previous year, the number of people affected should still seriously decrease.
Do you know what you must do after getting into a car accident? Do you know that you should call an auto accident lawyer from Salt Lake City or other cities immediately? This is one of the first calls you should make after an accident. Aside, of course, from the police and your insurance company.
Stop the Car
No matter if there is no damage to your car or the other party, you should stop your car immediately after an accident. You are legally obligated to stop your car at all costs when there’s an accident. If you think that the place where the accident took place is too dark or dangerous for you, drive to the nearest police station. Or stop the car, lock the doors, and call the police.
Check for Injuries
Make sure that you and your passengers are all safe. If the other party’s property is heavily damaged, you can also try to get the driver and passengers out of the car. Remember to do this only if you feel that you are in a safe place. There is no reason for you to put yourself in further danger or harm by getting out of your car in the middle of nowhere.
Contact the Police
Whip out your phone and call the police, your lawyer, and your insurance company. Make sure that you have the insurance policy details with you at all times. This will allow you to be prepared for what you must do while reporting the accident to the police. If you plan to claim insurance, never take responsibility for the accident. Let your car insurance company take care of this with the authorities.
Protect the Scene
Turn on your flashers or set up flares. Make sure that people are going to see that there was an accident and that they should keep away from the scene. You will protect the evidence by setting up barriers between the scene of the accident and nosy people in the neighborhood.
Take Pictures
It will do you good to take photos of the scene. Surely, your smartphone has a camera on it. Take photos of the scene, as well as the damage to your car and that to the other party’s car. If you have visible injuries, take photos of those, too. This will not interfere with the police investigation. The pictures will help them gather information and evidence.
Finally, collect yourself and stay calm. There is no use for you to create panic or be hysterical. When talking with the police or the other party in the accident, do so in a calm voice. Anger and frustration will get you nowhere in situations like these.
