Just Been in a Minor Accident? Here’s What to Do Next
The metal on metal crunch of two cars colliding makes your heart skip a beat. You probably feel a little queasy just thinking about it. Unfortunately, it’s a sound most of us will hear in our lifetime. Most of our auto collisions won’t be serious enough to cause an injury, but it’s still important to know what steps to take following an accident.
After a serious car accident where someone is injured, the first step is to call 911 immediately. If you’re at fault in the accident, it might be scary to get the police involved, but there can be serious consequences if you don’t. Always put safety first.
That being said, for the rest of this blog post, we’ll assume you’ve been in a minor collision with no injuries. Follow these steps and you can rest easy knowing you did everything right.
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Stay calm
Nothing, and we mean nothing, will go smoothly if you’re panicking when you’re trying to figure out the situation. Take deep breaths and don’t let the anxiety take over. If you keep a clear head, you’ll make better decisions during the process and make a better impression on the other party involved in the accident.
And please, keep your temper in check. Even if you’re the person who got hit, it’s not a good time to start yelling or pointing fingers. Save your frustrations and be as diplomatic as you can in the moment.
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Get off the road
If you feel your car get bumped, put on your emergency flashers and immediately move your vehicle off the road as best as you can. Blocking traffic will only put you in danger.
If you’re the one who hit the other vehicle, you have to stop! Don’t just keep driving, no matter how minor the bump is. You can be arrested for a hit and run, which doesn’t look so pretty on your record.
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Check in with the other party
Once you’re sure it’s safe to get out of your vehicle, go check in with the person you hit or the person who hit you. Make sure no one is injured before anything else happens. If anyone is hurt, assess the situation and call an ambulance if necessary.
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Call the police
According to the North Carolina DMV, you must call the police if there are any injuries or damage exceeding $1000. So while it’s not legally required to call the police following a minor collision here in North Carolina, it’s always a good idea. Police can set up protection around the accident area and direct traffic away from the wreck if you aren’t in a safe position.
Also, if there’s a question about who was at fault, you’ll want to have a police report to reference when you’re settling with your insurance. The police may not decide to come out for such a small collision, but it’s worth calling regardless. You can request a copy of the accident report to reference later.
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Exchange information
At the very least, you should take down the other person’s:
- Full name
- Phone number
- Address
- Insurance company
- Insurance policy number
- Driver’s license number
- License plate number
- Make, model, year, and color of vehicle
It’s also a good idea to take some pictures at the scene, just in case there are any questions down the road. This is essential if there is no police report. Always prepare for the worst case scenario by ensuring you have plenty of evidence in case you need it.
You can also take down the names of passengers and witnesses to get a balanced list of people to back up your story, in case your insurance requires it.
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Call your insurance company
Even if you were clearly not at fault, you should still report the accident to your insurance company. Insurance can cover expenses beyond the repairs to your car, depending on your plan. This can even include the cost of towing. Your agent should guide you through the report process, but in general you’ll want to give all the details you can.
An important note to keep in mind: you don’t need to use the auto body shop recommended by your insurance. Call around and read online reviews for local auto repair shops and find the best, most convenient one for you.
Have you been in a car accident in North Carolina? Worldwide Auto Body 2 provides excellent auto repair services in Winston-Salem. Give us a call today and let us return your vehicle to its pre-collision condition. We will deal directly with your insurance company and facilitate the process from start to finish. Please allows us to alleviate the stress of an accident by trusting in our expertise and integrity. Your vehicle can be repaired, it’s your safety we care about.
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