Auto Accident - The Aftermath And What You Must Do

When we speak of an auto accident, you might have taken the steps to protect yourself by taking out an auto accident insurance. However, should you be satisfied with that? After all, an auto insurance cannot prevent the accident from happening. The auto insurance only becomes useful when, after the auto accident has happened, you'd need some financial help for the costs that are bound to pile up. An auto insurance is not enough; you should also look into other factors that will be for your safety and that of your vehicles.

Your judgment will be shot after you've been involved in an accident. You won't be able to think straight because of the shock, the trauma, and the adrenaline coursing through you. You should never underestimate the advantage of being prepared once you are caught in an accident. You should always have on hand in your car the two triangles that serve as warning signs and placed 5 meters from the car during an accident. Using flares would also be a good idea. You might want to help out the other party or see if there are other victims after the accident. Before you jump to the task, however, you should first calm yourself down and regain your breath.

Right after the accident, make sure the car hazard indicators are turned on before you even think of trying to get out of the car. This is especially true if the car power is still running and the lights are still turned on. Then you should make sure the warning signs are up. After you have put the triangles where they should be, you can now call the police and also call for an ambulance. Then you can check on the occupants of the other cars involved. As you do this, make sure that the ambulance is on its way. Now you should see if the other occupants and passengers had sustained grave injuries which would merit more immediate attention than yours or the others'. Ensure that you secure those in bad shape and leave no one in the car unless it is medically necessary to wait for the ambulance and the medics to arrive at the scene and deal with the situation.

On the issue of preparedness, many drivers are adopting the habit of have a medical manual in the car. It does not make up for proper medical attention, but for purposes of first aid or immediate relief, they would prove to be a big help. Although in some situations, you need to move the car when trying to save a life, it is not recommend. This would wreak havoc on the scene of the accident when the police arrives to take a statement about what truly happened. As you offer help to the others who are involved in the accident, leave the car where it is.

Preparedness is not enough if do not remain alert. If the accidents involve more that one vehicle, take note of the car - the model, color, registration, and the occupants. There have been cases where the people involved prefer to agree on and settle matters between themselves, especially if the accidents are minor. But you cannot go without taking note of the details of the accident if it is a major one. Avoid connecting to issues that arise and let the police handle the situation. You can maintain your silence about details of the accident until the police are on hand to take down your statement. The insurance agency would be next on your contact list after you have fulfilled all your obligations to the police.