What to Do After an Accident By Brenda Williams At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Our greatest fear when getting behind the wheel of our automobiles is that we end up in a car accident. While we wouldn't like not to think about it, there are millions of accidents every year and tens of thousands of people die each year in car accidents. Fact is that you need to be prepared just in case you yourself are involved in one. If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident please remember these few helpful hints to try make the process a little bit easier.

Emergency Kit-This is actually something you to take care of before you ever even get into your car and should have there regardless of an accident. Inside your glove compartment you should keep kit containing a cell phone, pen, paper, flashlight and a disposable camera. You should also have a list of all emergency contacts and medical allergies. I would highly recommend laminating the list so that it does not get ruined in case fluids come in contact with it. In your trunk, you should keep another flashlight, emergency flares and either a set of emergency cones or warning triangles.

Safety-You always have to remember to keep safety first. If it is a minor accident, both drivers should move their vehicles to the side of the road and out of the way of approaching traffic. If it is a more serious situation and someone is injured and the cars cannot be moved, everyone should remain in their cars until help arrives. If you are able to get to your cell phone, call for help.

Information Exchange-You should exchange the following information with the other individual in the accident: name, phone number, address, insurance company, policy number, license plate and driver’s license number. Compare the name on the driver's license to the insurance policy and ensure that it is the same. If it is not, establish the relationship of the driver to the policyholder. You're also going to want to get a complete description of the car and exactly where the accident took place.

Photograph the Scene-Take out the camera from your kit and photograph the car and all surrounding areas. You're going to want to fully document everything in the area including any witnesses and their contact information.

Accident Report-On the rare occasion that the authorities do not show up, make sure you immediately file an accident report at the police station and with your insurance company. This can sometimes be done via the Internet.

Something else that is going to help here is going to be a complete knowledge of your own insurance policy. This can help you in the scene when deciding how to possibly move your vehicle or for emergency services. For instance, towing services and rentals may have already been included in your policy. If that is the case, why risk further damage or drive what could be an unsafe vehicle when you can have it towed and rent a safe vehicle at no additional charges.

Accidents are horrible things, and we obviously hope that you never have to experience one. However, if it should happen, remain calm and follow these steps in that should make the process a little bit easier.

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