The first thing you want to do is assess the well-being of yourself and any passengers in the vehicle. If there are significant injuries, immediately call 911 for help.
If your or one of your passenger’s injuries are severe, do your best to keep yourself/them stable, moving as little as possible until the paramedics arrive. Trying to move in a severely injured state can cause the injuries to be worse, so wait for the professionals.
If injuries are not severe, and you are able to do so, move your vehicle to a secure spot off the road and out of traffic. If you can’t get off the road, get as far to one side as possible and turn on your hazard lights.
If you have road flares, cones or warning triangles, set those behind your vehicle so they are visible to oncoming traffic for added safety.
Even if there aren’t injuries severe enough to warrant an ambulance, you still need to file a police report. In some states they are required by insurance and in other cases, the police report might be used in the insurance claim. So notify the authorities anyway.
They will also provide an added safety measure by helping to divert traffic away from you and your vehicle. This is especially helpful if you are on a busy road or in an area not clearly visible to oncoming traffic from a distance.
Turn your vehicle off, but keep your hazard lights on. If you missed this step earlier, display road flares, cones or warning triangles for added safety until the authorities arrive.
If your vehicle isn’t the only one in the accident, collect information from the other party/parties involved. This includes:
You can use your smartphone to take pictures of the damage and the scene of the accident. Many insurance companies have apps that will let you file a claim right on your phone, so having photos handy will make that process easier. You can also use those photos to easily get a quote for repair work, right from your phone! Just use our mobile app.
The sooner you notify your insurance company, the better. You can even start the claims process at the scene of the accident if you have time. In some cases, this could even just be an initial report to get the claim filed, allowing you to fill out more details at a later date.
It might also be helpful to contact your insurance company or agent while at the scene, as they might be able to walk you through the specific steps necessary to accurately process your claim.
Finally, if your vehicle is no longer operable, you’ll want to contact roadside assistance to get a tow service on the way. A lot of times, this will be part of the claims process mentioned above.
Do you know you’re getting your vehicle worked on by the experts at Randy’s? We offer 24/7 towing right to the shop!
Once you’ve chosen your repair shop, it’s time to get a quote. If you choose Randy’s for manufacturer certified vehicle repair, we make it easy for you with our mobile app! Just follow this link from your mobile device. It’s quick and easy!
No matter how severe the damage might be, getting into an accident is stressful. And since accidents are completely unpredictable, it definitely helps to go over this information before it happens. And be sure to share it with your other family members! One can never be too prepared! Following these steps will help to get the repair process rolling and get you back on the road as soon as it’s safely possible.