When you end up in a car accident, you may think you’ll know exactly how to respond. However, it’s possible that the shock and stress of the situation will lead to a complete mind blank, meaning you don’t act fast to check for injuries and follow the correct legal procedures.
This blog will break down exactly what you need to do in the event of a car accident. This blog will break down exactly what you need to do in the event of a car accident.
Immediate steps following a car accident
- The first step is to stop completely and turn off your engine, as failure to do so is actually an offence. Then, switch your hazards on to let road users know there has been an incident.
- Next, you need to check for injuries to yourself, passengers, and the other parties. If anybody is injured, call an ambulance immediately. If not, take a note that neither party is injured for insurance purposes.
- Stay calm, get out of your vehicle (if safe to do so) and assess the situation. Ring the police on 999 if the road is blocked by any debris.
- Exchange details with the other party/parties involved. Try to get their name, address, contact details, insurance details, and important information from the incident. This important info could be vehicle make, model, colour and registration, date and time of accident, driving/weather conditions, injuries, damage to either vehicle, and accident location. Take photographs if possible.
- Ring your insurer as soon as possible, providing the details provided above. Even for a minor accident, ringing your insurer quickly is important.
What details do you need to exchange after a car accident?
If you’re in an incident with at least one other car, you’ll need to exchange some important details with the driver. If the accident involves damage or injury, it is the law that you need to provide the following information:
- Name
- Address
- Vehicle registration number
- Vehicle owner name and address (if not yours)
In terms of providing your insurance details after an accident, this is not a legal requirement, but we’d suggest you do so, particularly if anybody is injured. Honesty is the best policy, as trying to manipulate the truth or twist what happened could end up in legal trouble, as well as denied insurance claims.
Do you need to alert the police after a car accident?
According to the Metropolitan police, you do not legally need to report an accident to the police if details were exchanged, and no allegations of driving offences were made.
However, if you were unable to exchange information, somebody was injured, or you suspect a driving offence was made, you need to inform the police. In the case of an emergency, you should call 999 immediately, if it’s not urgent, you can report an accident online.
How to get suitable insurance approved repairs
Once you’ve alerted your insurer about the incident, it is your right to choose your own repairer. You can claim from repairs on your insurance, no matter what garage you choose.
As a result, it’s important that you do your research and find a body repair shop which suits your needs. ST accident repair is an independent insurance approved accident repair centre, and we’ve been awarded the BS 10125 Kitemark Certification, proving that we follow industry best practices. Get in touch with us for any car repair works today.
