Steps You Should Take After an Accident

The United States is one of the busiest countries in terms of road traffic. The high level of traffic is one of the reasons behind the high number of road accidents. According to statistics, over 6 million accidents occur each year. Being involved in an accident can be a terrifying experience. You need to know the process of dealing with car accidents in case it ever happens to you. In this post, we cover what you need to do in case of vehicle accidents.

1.    Stay Calm

Knowing how to deal with post-traumatic stress after a traffic accident is one of the most important tips to bear in mind. Ideally, you should take some deep breaths to get calm after a road crash. You may struggle with some emotions, shock, guilt, fear and nervousness, all of which are an expectation after a car accident. The calmer you are, the better you are able to handle the unfolding situation. Talk to friends, a relative, or a counselor, to unleash the stress that comes after the incident. Overcoming the post accident traumatic feeling depends on how much support you get from close friends and relatives.

2.    Check Yourself and Your Passengers for Injuries

If you or your passenger sustained injuries, contact emergency responders near you.  Note that after the accident, you may feel shaky and disoriented. Take a deep breath and try to focus, in order to check for any injuries. If you are not in a position to make a call, you could seek assistance from another person. Wait for the emergency responders to arrive on site.

3.    Ensure You are Safe

Switch off the engine, and in case you smell leaking gas, get out of the car immediately and disconnect the battery. A simple ignition could cause a fire.

After the accident, it might not be safe to drive your car.Simply get out of the vehicle, and lock all doors.  You may contact a towing service, or wait until the police arrive on scene. In addition, it is important you remain at the accident scene, because leaving the scene may put you at risk. Leaving the accident scene could make it difficult to file a claim.

4.    Call the Police

After everyone is safe and you have secured the car, contact the police to notify them of the car crash. Note that in some states, the law requires you to report the accident to the police department. The police will arrive to the scene and record a report, which will help the attorney when evaluating the case. The police report details about what happened, vefrifys the documents of all parties involved, and provides the insurance company with the details required to facilitate your claim.

5.    Contact a Yakima Towing Company

After the accident, it may not be advisable to drive the car to the garage. Therefore, contacting a towing company in Yakima is a wise decision. The towing company will handle the car with care, and take it to your defined destination. Make sure you contact a professional towing company.

6.    Contact the Insurance Company

Even though you are not at fault, let the insurance company know about the accident. In the case the other drive is uninsured, your insurance company provides your attorney with useful information about the other driver. When talking to insurance companies, do not give unnecessary information.

Conclusion

Accidents occur almost on a daily basis. Some accidents are fatal while others are minor. No matter the extent of the accident, follow the steps outlined above.