4 Steps To Follow Immediately After An Open Road Accident
As badly as you want to avoid accidents, the odds are that at some point in your driving life, you’ll have one. Most accidents are small, fender benders, broken tail lights, and the like. However, even a little accident on a heavily trafficked major roadway can result in a multi-car pile-up. If you have an accident, particularly on a major roadway, here are some steps you can follow to keep yourself and other motorists safe.
Ensure you are okay, then check on the other party
Your own safety is paramount. Take a minute to see if you have suffered any major injuries. If you are disoriented, take a while to catch your bearings.If you can walk and are relatively okay, check on anyone else involved in the accident.It may be a good idea to cordon off the accident area as best as you can to prevent further accidents.This is especially important at night where visibility is lower. Keep some flares in your trunk for this reason. You never know when you might need them.
Contact the police/medical aid
If your assessment of the situation believes it is warranted, call an ambulance. If you or anyone else is seriously injured, then this is definitely mandatory. Contact the police as well. They will take your report as well as survey and record the accident scene for evidence purposes. This may be used later to determine fault or liability. In some countries, it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident without talking to the police. If this is the case in your country, make sure you comply with the law.
Call a tow truck
The last thing you want on a busy roadway is accident debris. It can result in further accidents, injury and potential loss of life. Once the police have finished their investigation of the scene, call a tow truck to remove your damaged vehicle. If your vehicle’s removal requires specialist equipment, call a company that can handle that. One like Perth tow truck, for example, can remove extra large vehicles. Even if your vehicle doesn’t require this, you’ll feel better seeing it being towed away. Removal to an auto repair shop is the first step in getting your life back to normal.
Get the other party’s information
As far as possible, don’t leave the scene of the accident without the contact details and insurance information of the other party. Don’t wait until after the accident and depend on the police report to provide this information. You don’t want to find out that you may not have full access to the information after the fact. Tempers may be high after an accident, but try not to let this affect you as you exchange information. Avoid arguments about whose fault the accident was and do not admit liability. It is unfortunate, but you need to consider the possibility that you may have to go to court. Therefore, you should be careful of what you say and do on the scene. Accidents may be unavoidable. With careful handling of the immediate aftermath, there need not be permanent consequences.
