What should I do if I get into an accident? A clear knowledge of the answer to this question will help you quickly navigate during an accident, save your energy, nerves and, most importantly, financial resources. The algorithm of basic necessities is quite simple, but many of us do not know what exactly needs to be taken, and most importantly, in what kind of scrutiny it is worth taking these or those steps. We will try to draw up a step-by-step instruction for mandatory events, which will help each driver make the right decisions as quickly as possible during a force majeure situation.
General rules of conduct in case of emergency
First of all, it should be emphasized that information on what to do in case of an accident is needed for each participant in the road traffic. Even if you are completely confident in your knowledge and experience, this does not mean that they are present in other motorists. Among other things, do not forget about difficult weather conditions, poor road surface, lack of lighting and many other factors that provoke the risks of accidents. As for the general recommendations, they can be formulated in the following general postulates:
- do not panic;
- think first, then do and say;
- Do not try to leave the scene of an emergency;
- Do not change anything at the scene of the accident, and also do not allow the second party to the incident to perform such actions;
- keep calm and be as correct as possible in communication.
Basic emergency actions
In the event of an accident, it is most reasonable to be guided by the current legislative framework, in this case, the rules of the road. Your first step is to stop the machine as soon as possible if it still continues to move after being hit or touched.
Then, in order to avoid additional accidents, you should turn on the hazard warning lights and put the appropriate sign on the road. Such actions will help other road users to quickly navigate and go around the place of collision without creating unnecessary crush and traffic jams, and most importantly - new accidents. Failure to comply with these rules may result in punishment by the traffic police (usually fines or warnings).
Where and in what order should I call
Where to call in case of an accident? This issue is also extremely important, if not paramount. First of all, it is recommended to contact an ambulance to rescue the victims. As soon as medical services are called up, immediately begin first aid yourself. If there is no need for surgical treatment, we start calling from representatives of the traffic police, and after that to the insurance company. The last resort is also extremely important, because it is the employees of your insurance service who will help you decide on further actions, tell you how to call a tow truck, and give additional useful recommendations about the following actions, which you may not even be aware of.
What should I look for?
Very often it happens that a person has got into an accident, and after that he indulges in panic, fearing significant difficulties. Remember, to minimize them, you will need to show maximum care, this is especially important at the time of the arrival of the traffic police to draw up the protocol.It is necessary to make sure that all the necessary information was entered into the documents in full and without distortion by the authorities or the second side of the accident.
Valuable information may include:
- testimony of witnesses;
- testimonies of the accident participants;
- location of vehicles on the road;
- the presence and length of the braking distance;
- damage to cars and much more;
- the availability of material evidence and much more.
Where to go for damages?
What should I do if I get into an accident? We continue to draw up a detailed action plan. After the traffic police compiled a protocol, do not forget to get a special certificate from them for the insurance company. The specified document shall be submitted to the company no later than the period specified in it; otherwise, payments may be canceled. Based on it, as well as your written application, a detailed examination will be carried out, the purpose of which is to identify the amount of damage and determine the necessary payments, as well as in what order they will be made. You may be given cash in cash for self-repair. However, most often the car is simply sent to a certain service, where it is repaired at the expense of the insurance company.
Now you know what to do if you get into an accident. The insurance company will refund the money, the repair will be completed, and the car will delight you again. This is an ideal situation, which, unfortunately, does not always happen. After all, a large percentage of cases when insurance payments are not made at all. There are several reasons for this phenomenon, we list the main ones:
- finding the driver behind the wheel at the time of the accident while intoxicated;
- submitting a request for compensation later than the deadline set in the documents;
- lack of a description of the damage in the certificate from the traffic police representatives (the inspector may simply skip or forget to include any damage in the protocol);
- violation of the storage conditions of the vehicle (the documents may indicate the location of the car only in a guarded parking lot);
- other reasons stipulated in the contract between the parties.
If you wish, the insurance decision can be challenged in court, but the easiest way is to carefully read the documents at the stage of their signing, because all the rights and obligations of the parties to the agreement are specified in the relevant paragraphs. Anticipating possible difficulties is a must. Therefore, make it a rule - always carefully read all official documents before putting your signature on them.
Why can not evade the call of the traffic police?
What should I do if I get into an accident, but the damage to the car is minimal, and the other side offers to go amicably? Agreeing to this is strongly discouraged, especially if you are not to blame for the collision. So you lose your right to receive financial compensation for damage, and in addition, you yourself become a participant in the offense. The thing is that any accident, regardless of its scope (a major accident, when the car is not on the move, just a small scratch on the hood) should be recorded in the state inspection. Avoiding a visit to this authority, you risk falling under the definition of “left the scene of the accident”, which will lead to very disastrous consequences, up to deprivation of a driver’s license.
When can I leave the scene of an accident?
What to do if I got into an accident, and there is simply no time to wait for the traffic police? With minimal damage to the cars and the consent of the other party, you can yourself arrive at the inspection post to document the situation. This should be done only if there are no mutual financial claims and there are no injured people.
How to defend your innocence?
What if I got into an accident and not to blame? How to prove your case? Many of us believe that this is almost unrealistic. However, not everything is as bad as it might seem. Forget about bribes and connections, operate on facts.We formulate a short plan of action that will help you increase your chances of a positive resolution of the issue in your direction. So:
- do not be nervous, be extremely collected and calm, the truth is on your side;
- write as detailed as possible about what happened in the statement;
- do not be afraid to indicate information about the fault of the second side: many try to emphasize only that they are not the source of the accident themselves, which is fundamentally wrong, do not forget to mention the responsibility of the second driver;
- take care of the presence of witnesses (road users and ordinary pedestrians who are nearby);
- carefully read all the protocols, make sure that the information indicated in them is present in full and as correctly as possible;
- ask to show you the scheme of an accident and also make sure the relevance of the data on the basis of which it was compiled;
- if necessary, you have the right to require any changes to the paper, do not hesitate to inform the traffic police about this;
- after checking all the papers, leave a signature and remember - you will not be able to make corrections after this action.
A few words for the guilty
What if I got into an accident and to blame? In general, the order of necessary actions is no different from the standard activities indicated above. If you decide to admit guilt and have an agreement with an insurance company, there are no serious consequences for you either (of course, if this is not a serious major accident with human casualties or an uninsured event).
Among other things, you may be asked to fill out an administrative offense report. Do not try to avoid this, the absence of your signature will not remove your responsibility and guilt for misconduct. Would you like to fight for your rights? Write in the document that you do not agree that the responsibility lies with you. It will be much more reasonable than banal evasion and clarification of relations with official authorities.
Instead of a conclusion
Now you know what to do if the driver got into an accident. The procedure is quite simple, following the rules saves strength and nerves to all participants in force majeure, and also helps to get rid of a possible headache with paperwork. Be vigilant when signing papers, carefully check official information. Otherwise, they may make you guilty even in the absence of any prerequisites for this.