There’s no denying it, car accidents are frightening and when they happen they can often leave you feeling flustered and unable to think straight. While nobody wants to think about it, knowing what to do in the event of a car accident can help you cope better. We have a handy checklist of general tips to help you to get through the experience.
First of all…..
- Stop the car as soon as possible – it is a criminal offence not to do so. If your car is still in motion, pull over as soon as you can, turn off the engine and switch the hazard lights on.
- Make sure you and any passengers are safe. Check if anyone is hurt and call 999 if necessary.
- Take a few deep breaths and stay calm as much as possible.
- Don’t apologise, admit fault or even discuss the accident at the scene. Notify your car insurance provider immediately.
Record some important details….
- Make a note of all injuries and damage, draw a sketch map of the scene and take photos if you can.
- Get the registration and insurance company name and policy number of all the other vehicles. This should be on the insurance disc on the windscreen.
- Exchange names and addresses with the other drivers, passengers and witnesses.
- Take any reasonable emergency steps to avoid further loss, like moving the vehicles safely off the road, once you’ve recorded the details of the scene.
What’s next?
- Notify the authorities immediately (and no more than 24 hours later) if any person or animal is injured or if your car is stolen or damaged on purpose.
- If you are FBD Insurance customer, send any correspondence or notice of prosecutions you get unanswered. If you are not FBD Car Insurance customer, contact your insurer for more information.
- Only go ahead with permanent repairs or get rid of any parts with your insurer’s agreement. If you don’t, your claim may not be covered).
Make sure you’re prepared, with a car insurance quote from FBD.
