Dealing with a Car Accident

Accidents are scary but you need to know what to do if you’re ever in one.  Follow this guide to learn how to handle a car accident.

While getting into a car accident is stressful and scary, it’s important to stay as calm as possible.  One of the best ways to help you keep your cool is to be prepared and have a plan.  Following an accident, there are a lot of little steps that you must complete.  Use this guide to learn how to handle a car accident.

1) Immediately after getting into an accident, take a second to calm yourself down.  Even if it was a minor accident, you should expect to feel shaken and bewildered.  Take a few deep breaths to calm your nerves before moving onto the next step.

2) After settling yourself, carefully assess yourself for any injuries.  You might not have noticed any pain immediately due to your shock, so take your time and determine if you are okay.  If you are injured, then contact emergency services; if you do not notice any serious injuries, then you should go on to the next step.

3) Following your self-assessment, check on the other party (another driver, biker, pedestrian) and make sure they are okay.  If they are injured, call emergency services if they haven’t already.  If someone is unconscious or fears that they might have a neck injury, then avoid moving them unless absolutely necessary.

4) Call the police if the other party or a witness hasn’t already.  Any accident that results in damage, injury, or death requires police presence.  Even in a minor accident, having a police report will help you file your insurance claim later.  Once the police arrive, give your statement as truthfully as you can and let the police determine fault for themselves.

5) At this point, you should exchange information with the other party and any witnesses.  Get names, contact information, license plate numbers, insurance information, and so on.  You should also take the opportunity to take photos of the accident scene.  Be sure to document where the accident happened and snap pictures of any damage.

6) As soon as you can, contact your insurance agency and report the accident.  From there, your agent will walk you through the claims process.  Having a copy of the police report and any pictures will help you with this process.

Use this information to prepare yourself and to learn how to handle a car accident.  Remember, another way to be prepared for an accident is to have the right auto coverage to keep you safe.  To find the right policy for you, contact the professionals at Mike Leonard Insurance Agency in North Texas.  Our dedicated team is ready to find you the right coverage from one of our many carriers including: Kemper, MetLife, Travelers, The Hartford, Safeco Insurance, Progressive, and American Strategic Insurance.  Trust us; we’ll get you covered.