What To Do After A Minor Car Accident

Being involved in a minor car accident can leave you shaken and confused. Figuring out what to do after a minor car accident isn’t always simple. When an accident does occur, it’s up to you to remain calm. A minor accident, or fender bender, doesn’t always cause severe injuries or extensive damage to the vehicles. In fact, with most minor accidents, individuals are able to get in their cars and drive away after the police have finished up their paperwork. 

 

Immediately After the Accident

After any type of accident, minor or otherwise, the first thing you need to do is call 9-1-1. Next, you need to make sure the scene is safe and that all of the people involved in the accident are uninjured. If a person has been injured, do not move them until the ambulance arrives or unless the scene becomes dangerous. Turn on your hazard lights. If traffic is heavy and it is safer to move the vehicles out of the way, steer them to the side of the road and leave them there until the police arrive and make their report.

 

10 to 20 Minutes After

While you’re waiting for the police to arrive, exchange your information with the other driver.  When the police arrive, they will also collect the necessary information and complete their report. The officer will give you and the other driver the case number for the accident that you can then give it to your insurance agent. If your car needs to be towed, you will have to make arrangements for someone to pick you up. Even if you are not feeling any pain or discomfort, you should still be checked out by the paramedics that arrive on the scene. They will be able to tell you if you are displaying symptoms of a common car accident injury. If you are worried about how you will feel tomorrow, you may want to go to the emergency room to get a thorough check-up before you decide to go home or contact your doctor and make an appointment for later that week. 

 

The Next Day

As soon as you can after the accident, you will need to call your insurance agent and file a claim. You will need to obtain a copy of the police report so the insurance agent has all of the information they need to complete their work. Once they have the estimates for your vehicle, they can make arrangements for any repairs to be made and get you back on the road. 

 

If you are still feeling sore one week after your accident, it is important to contact a doctor. The kind of doctor you need is one that specializes in auto accident rehabilitation and that can provide direction and options on how to care for yourself. Don’t have a doctor? Contact STI, who will provide you with a choice of physicians that specialize in your injury and, if needed, a choice of attorneys that specialize in auto accident.