What to do after a car accident?

Many safe drivers never expect to end up in car accidents. However, even the safest of drivers can’t predict what other drivers will do. Distracted driving, drinking and speeding are common actions that have caused safe drivers to suffer from damages and injuries unexpectedly.

Drivers should remember to take swift action after car accidents. Here are the steps to take:

Call the police

It’s important to call the police soon after a car accident. The police will arrive to investigate the accident and create a report. These help the insurance companies involved determine fault, damages and repair costs. That report can also be key to a successful personal injury claim.

Move your vehicle to safety

It may take a few minutes before the police arrive at the accident. During this time, both drivers should try to move their vehicles out of the way of oncoming traffic if their vehicles are still functional and it is safe to do so — but the vehicles should generally be left in place if there are serious injuries.

Get medical attention

Paramedics should be called to the accident, too. They’ll ask each driver if they need medical help. Drivers who don’t think they’ve suffered any serious injuries may still need to consider getting an examination. The record could be useful if the driver starts to suffer from hidden head and spine injuries shortly after the accident and needs to seek additional medical treatment.

Take pictures

Drivers should also consider taking pictures of the accident. Drivers can take pictures of each vehicle and any damages done and license plates. These pictures could help drivers dispute claims from other drivers who say there was more or less damage than what was reported.

After a wreck, it can be critically important to learn more about the legal options that are available to help victims recover from their losses.