What to do in an Accident?
Being in a car accident or damaging your car can be stressful, whether someone has gone into the back of your vehicle in slow moving traffic or something more serious. If you have been in a car accident and there is damage to the vehicle, follow these important steps to ensure a smooth process:
- Stop the vehicle and turn the engine off as soon as possible – It’s against the law to drive away following an accident. If driving an EV, turn off and remove the key. Switch the hazard lights on.
- Take a few deep breaths and try to remain as calm as possible – remember what is done is done!
- Call the police and an ambulance immediately if anyone is hurt or if the road is blocked.
- If possible, use your phone to take pictures of the scene, the positions of the vehicles involved and damage to the vehicles.
- If you have a dash cam, store the incident details and video footage. These could be used later to define liability, if required.
- Exchange details with those involved in the accident (including witnesses). You’ll need: name, address, contact details (mobile number/email address) and vehicle registration. We also recommend noting the other vehicle details, i.e. make, model, registration.
- You must also report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible, even if you’re not planning to make a claim.