What To Do If You Have A Car Wreck

Learn These Tips and Save Yourself a Headache!

Hey Lady, You Ran a Stop Sign!

Did you ever wonder what to do if you have a car wreck? Most people don’t think about this ahead of time, but if you learn a few tips  I am about to reveal to you, then you will be better prepared if this should happen.

If you are in a car wreck and you are injured, then by all mean, get help immediately.  But if you are in a wreck with minor or no injuries, then these tips may save you time and money.

Some items you should always carry with you when in the car are pen and paper, cell phone, camera(unless one on phone), and your medical information on a card.  These few items will help you do a pretty good investigation.

Once the accident happens, get out of the car, ask if everyone is okay and go from there.  If everyone is okay, start exchanging information with the other driver.  Get their name, address, phone number, and information off their insurance card.  This information you will give to your insurance agent.

Try to get the names and addresses of other people in the car if they will give it to you.  And don’t forget witnesses. Always get their information too.   If you see anyone standing on the side of the street watching you exchange information, go over and ask them if they saw the accident.  This could be the one thing that saves you from a “he said, she said” situation.

Once the information is exchanged, the vehicles need to be moved if they are drivable to get them out of the street.  Before moving the vehicle, take a few photos of the vehicles just as they ended up in the wreck.  This will show where the impact is exactly on the car and sometimes the photo will tell you who is at fault.  For many years I was an insurance adjuster and photos tell many stories.  How the dent is pushed in can many times tell the adjuster who hit whom, if there is any argument.

Take a picture of the street signs where the accident happened and the intersection or area where the accident happened.  If there is a stop or yield sign, take a photo showing whose side it was on,etc.  The more information you can gather up, the easier your claim will proceed.

One last thing I would like to mention is this.  Do not volunteer information about how the accident happened.  Here is the reason why.  What if you think the accident is your fault because you didn’t see the other person until it was too late?  So you start talking to everyone saying, “I didn’t see you”  “I’m sorry I hit you”.  DON’T DO THIS!.

What if the other driver was speeding and their side of the street was an incline and you didn’t see them because they came flying over the hill at a speed that would not give you time to react?  Let your adjuster check everything out first.  You don’t want to be held accountable when you really were not, just because of your admitted guilt at the scene!

I hope you are never in an accident, but if you are, please use these tips to help speed your claims process along and possibly save you from paying for an accident that was not your fault in the first place.  Drive safely!