9 Steps to Take After a Road Accident

In a world with over 1.6 billion cars on the roads, accidents are a fact of life. According to the World Health Organization, around 1.2 million people lose their lives each year to car accidents, so it’s not a subject we should treat lightly.

But, even when there are no victims, an accident is a high-stress situation that will test your ability to stay calm, communicate, and make good decisions. It’s also a scenario that teaches you about the power of preparedness.

Knowing which steps to take can save you a lot of headaches and unnecessary expenses later down the road. Therefore, this guide outlines the steps (and the skills needed to follow them) to take in case of a road accident.

1. Check if Everyone is Alright

   The first rule of surviving an accident of any kind: evaluate your physical condition. If you are not able to move, think, or use your senses, then you are in no shape to help anyone else.

   If you are able to, check on the other occupants of your vehicle. Pay extra attention to vulnerable passengers, like older people, pregnant women, children, toddlers, or infants. Next, check on the passengers of the other car (even if they were the ones who caused the accident).

   Attention: If anyone is seriously injured, the top priority becomes finding assistance. Nothing else matters in that moment. This is an issue of prioritizing, and it can save someone’s life or health if done correctly.

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2. Assess the Situation

   The next step will require strong observation and decision-making skills.

   First, make sure the hazard lights are on. Depending on where your cars are stopped, other drivers might not see you in time to brake.

   Gather yourself and calmly assess the situation. Your brain is still trying to grasp the situation, and adrenaline is running high through your veins, but you have to stay calm and think objectively.

   If the cars are drivable and no one is injured or any fluids are spilled, move them out of the flow of traffic. Once you’re in a safe location and the cars are stopped, turn off the engines.

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3. Call the Authorities

   Each jurisdiction has different rules on whether to call the authorities for minor accidents. However, if there are injuries, vehicles are badly damaged, or there’s public property damage, you must call the police and report the accident.

   Any serious injuries or situations when you can’t get out of the vehicle require calling the national emergency number and getting assistance as soon as possible.

   For this, you’ll need good space orientation skills to give the authorities your location. It can be unusually difficult to do this when you’re in a state of confusion.

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4. Exchange Details and Gather Evidence

   At this stage, you may start to feel anger toward the driver who caused the accident or guilt if you are the one who caused it. Your first instinct may be to start an emotionally loaded discussion with the other driver, but this won’t lead to anything productive.

   Instead, use your communication skills and ability to keep calm under pressure to exchange details and gather information from any witnesses. Take photos and videos of both vehicles, and make notes of the date and time of the accident, weather, traffic conditions, and anything else that seems important.

   Once the adrenaline wears off, some of the details will fade, so it’s important to write everything down while things are fresh in your mind.

5. Report the Accident to Your Insurer

   Car insurance policies are different, but all of them will require that you report an accident as soon as possible, regardless of fault. Most even have a 24-hour deadline, and delaying the report could leave you without coverage.

   The good news is that most car insurance companies make it easy to report. Some even have apps that let you report the accident from the scene.

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6. Have the Vehicle Towed

   If your car is drivable and safe, and you feel level-headed enough to get behind the wheel, you can drive it yourself to a shop that your insurer recommends. Otherwise, you will need to have the car towed.

   However, finding a tow truck you can afford in an area you’re not familiar with when you’re already under a lot of stress requires a lot of skill. If you feel overwhelmed, ask the police if they can help out. Sometimes, the insurer will send out their choice of tow truck, which is a lot more convenient.

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7. Go to the Doctor

   Yes, even if it was nothing but a fender bender, you should get yourself checked by a doctor.

   Right after the accident, due to the effect of adrenaline, you may feel fine. However, in the hours and days after, you may start to notice some symptoms.

   Go to the doctor and tell them about the accident, even if you don’t feel anything weird. Also, document everything and keep any receipts. These will help your lawyer build a bulletproof case.

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8. Find and Call Legal Representation

   If you are confident in your skills to handle paperwork and decipher legal documentation, then you may not need a lawyer specializing in car accidents. Otherwise, it’s best to talk to a local professional or firm to better understand your options.

   Car insurance claims are quite complex and require time and patience. You also need to be familiar with the local legal system, which sometimes differs from one region to another. So, if, for instance, you’re injured due to someone else’s negligence in Atlanta, you need someone who knows how to navigate that system.

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9. Process Your Emotions

   Once things settle down, things may start to get emotional for you. Anyone with a smidgen of emotional intelligence will tell you this is normal. But they’ll also warn you not to allow yourself to get overwhelmed.

   Pay attention to what you’re feeling and why. It’s natural to feel anger, guilt, frustration, anxiety, and a slew of other complex emotions after a car accident. Learn more about Dealing with Aggression.

   Car accidents aren’t usually personal. But thinking that they are will make you feel anxious and isolated, which is not the right way forward. Acknowledge and express your emotions without allowing them to take control.

Conclusion

Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident requires calmness, observation, communication, decision-making, and emotional regulation. These are valuable skills that you can learn with the hope that you’ll never have to apply them in practice. If you do, you will be happy you invested the time and effort, and, even if you do not, these skills will prove valuable in many other areas of your life.