While your hope is you never are in an auto accident, odds are one or more could find you at some point in your life.
That said you want to try and do everything within your power to drive free of accidents for all years you drive.
When you are in an accident, it is important for you to do all the right things to lessen the damage. And that damage is not only what could have happened to your vehicle.
So, what should you do right after an auto accident?
Your Health Comes First
When you have the unfortunate circumstances of being in an auto accident, remember a few keys:
- Your health – Above all else, your well-being comes first. That said make sure you get any needed medical care on the scene and if needed at the hospital. It is important to remember that not all injuries will surface right away. For example, you could have a concussion from hitting your head on the dash or elsewhere and not know it right away. Always cooperate with the EMT’s arriving on the scene when it is more than a simple fender-bender.
- What happened? – It is important to decipher what in fact happened. In the event you were the victim of a hit-and-run accident, were there any witnesses? You may be the only one to have figured out after calming down what exactly happened. If you or someone at the scene got the license plate and a vehicle description, do your best to follow up on it. You can always go online once home and safe to look up a car’s plates online for free. Doing so allows you to inch closer to figuring out the owner of the vehicle. It may turn out that this is not the first time they’ve been in a hit-and-run. If so, this makes it all the more pressing that they be accountable for their actions. With the license plate info in your hands, you can learn a lot of details. Those are details that law enforcement should have.
- Repair or buy another vehicle? – At some point, you will have to decide if repairing your vehicle is worth it. In the event the damages are minimal, you are likely going to fix what you have. If the damages are rather severe, you and your insurer may determine it is beyond repair. When this happens, you could end up with money from an insurer to get another vehicle. If buying a new auto is your choice, look around to see which ones get the highest safety ratings among things. If buying a used vehicle works, it is even more important for you to research your options. Given older cars have a history to them, be sure you learn as much about it as possible. Not doing so can set you up for trouble now and down the road.
While your wish is you and auto accidents never collide, chances are you will have one or more of some degree.
By doing all the right things right after one, you stand a better chance of driving off without too much trouble.
Tags: Repair or buy another vehicle Your Health Comes First
