Preparing Yourself for a Car Accident

Car accidents occur every day and range from simple fender benders to cars being totaled and lives lost. With car accidents occurring this frequently, there is a very good chance you will experience one in your lifetime. Regardless of how severe your car accident might be, everyone should be aware of the things we should do after experiencing one.

If you get into a car accident you need to follow these steps for your own safety and those of the other party involved:

1. Stop and Take Responsibility
If you have just experienced a car accident, stop or pull over to the side of the road to take responsibility for what has just happened. If the accident was your fault, you need to acknowledge your mistake and make sure the other party involved is uninjured. It is against the law to cause an accident and then leave without stopping. Even if you are not the one who caused the accident, you could still get into serious trouble if you leave the scene of an accident, especially if the party that hit you reports that you left the scene. So stick around, and either work it out with the other party or report the accident to a police officer.

2. Check for Injuries
Rather than check your vehicle for damage, focus your attention on the people involved. Check yourself, your passengers, and the other involved party members for injuries. If the injuries are severe enough, call 911. Otherwise, make sure everyone is as comfortable as they can be before checking the damage done to your car.

3. Call the Police If Necessary
Not all traffic accidents need the attention of a police officer, but if the situation is serious enough, or if it is a hit and run situation, call the authorities immediately. If it is a minor fender bender, all you may need to do is talk to the other party member. But if your accident is causing traffic to slow or debris is blocking the street, the authorities will need to be notified. If you want the damage to you or your vehicle to be covered by your insurance, you will need to notify them of a hit and run situation.

4. Exchange Your Information
In order for your car insurance company to resolve the incident - no matter how serious it was or whether it was your fault or not – you will need to share and collect from every member involved names, phone numbers, addresses, license plate numbers and driver's license numbers.

5. Document the Damage
It is good practice to keep a cheap disposable camera in the glove box of your car for situations like this. Having pictures of the accident you are involved in can be very helpful if you need to prove that you did not cause the accident. If you do not have a camera, write down in detail all the damage that has been done to both your vehicle and to all other vehicles involved. If possible, have all involved party members sign this list of damages as proof that you all agree on the damages done to each vehicle. If you have hit a parked car and cannot find the owner of the car, leave a note on their car with all your personal information so they can contact you if they need to. If you do not leave your information, it will be considered a hit and run.

6. Contact Your Insurance Company
After the accident has been reported to the authorities, and the police and other involved party members begin to disperse, you should contact your insurance provider and provide them with all the details about the accident. If the accident was serious enough, or if you acquired any serious injuries, you may need the assistance of a Utah car accident lawyer . Also, if the damage to any of the vehicles involved comes to at least $750 for repairs, you will need to report the incident to the DMV. Otherwise your license could be suspended.