Travelers are expected to use their personal vehicles over other modes of transportation this holiday season. With more cars on the road, more accidents will, sadly, happen.
As your Insurance Agent, I want to make sure you know what to do if you are involved in an accident. This struck me the other day when I was speaking with a friend and he told me about seeing a car accident the day before. In this case, the at-fault driver drove away, leaving the victim and her damaged vehicle in the middle of the road without assistance. I realized that many of you may not know what to do in this situation.
Use these tips in case you find yourself in a fender bender:
- Help or get help for injured people first.
- Warn other motorists (use flares, hazard lights.)
- Call 911 to contact the police and stay on the scene until the police arrive.
- Keep your auto insurance information in the glove compartment with paper and a pen allowing you to provide the particulars of an accident. Document the accident by taking pictures or videos.
- Exchange names, addresses, driver’s license and insurance information with the driver of the other car.
- Cooperate fully with law enforcement officers.
- Call your physician if you have any health concerns.
- Report the accident promptly to your insurance agent to determine if you need to file a claim with your company or the other driver’s insurance company.