You might not want to think about it but it's important to know what you need to do if you're involved in a minor car accident.
Motorists have to plan for every eventuality from mapping out their route ahead of time to organising all of their vehicle documents.
Ultimately, we can't plan for everything and sometimes there are things that are beyond our control.
However, in the case of a minor car accident, there are things we need to do to prevent a bad situation from becoming a lot worse.
To help you prepare for a day we hope never comes, we've paired up with the motoring experts at Group 1 Automotive who have identified the most searched questions about our cars.
The experts have heard your most confusing questions about all things motoring and they've got the all-important answers to these pressing problems.
So, here's your step-by-step guide of what to do if you're involved in a minor car accident.
Stop and check if anyone has any injuries
Once you've stopped the car ( because failing to do is an offence), you should check yourself and any passengers inside the car for injuries.
If anyone is injured, you must seek medical attention immediately, and if it is safe to do so, pull away from any oncoming traffic.
If you can't move to a safe place, call emergency services immediately.
Exchange information with any other drivers in the accident
The experts then urge that you exchange your information with any other drivers that were involved in the accident.
You should make sure that you have the following recorded:
- Names
- Phone numbers
- Addresses
- Vehicle registration details
- Insurance information
Gather evidence when it's safe
The Group 1 Automotive team also explained that it is important to gather evidence following the accident - but only when it is safe to do so.
The experts urged those involved to take some pictures of any damages to their car, as well as the other car(s) involved.
This can also help when submitting an insurance claim later.
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Notify your insurance company
Finally, you need to notify your car insurance company.
You need to provide them with full details of the accident, including the other driver’s information and any evidence (photos or witnesses) that you gathered at the scene.
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