Car crashes are among the major causes of deaths on the highways. Whether you are driving a small car or a big truck, observing road safety and following all the traffic rules are the best things to keep in mind to avoid accidents.
But no matter how careful you are in driving, there are times it is just the fault of the other party.
No one wants to be involved in whatever kind of accident.
But then again, accidents do happen and it’s what you do after that matters. Knowing what to do right after a car crash may seem a bit difficult.
This is the time when most motorists wish they had some tricks up their sleeves in handling a situation like this.
To help you get prepared for the worse, below are various ways on how to handle a car crash during a long-distance trip.
Pull Your Car to Safety
As the title suggests, this article is about long-distance trips, and as you may be aware, most, if not all, long-distance trips are on the highways.
Driving on a highway can be quite challenging and the chances of getting into a road accident are even higher.
The first thing to do is to pull your car to safety. Failure to do this increases the chances of other road users hitting your car and as a result, causing a pileup.
However, your car may be badly damaged and you may be seriously injured. This is where you will need to call the most convenient emergency number for help – 911.
Calling emergency services will allow you and the other parties to get immediate medical attention.
This is also crucial when filing for a claim. But as you wait for help, ensure to turn on the blinkers to alert other road users of the hazard ahead.
Call Your Attorney
There’s a good reason why you shouldn’t leave your house for a long-distance trip without your attorney’s number.
While it might seem right to call your insurance company right after an accident, your attorney can be very useful when you get involved in a car crash.
They’ll help in dealing with insurance companies and provide you with insights on the next steps to take.
The first rule of thumb is to never admit liability and your attorney knows this all too well.
In addition, they’ll help with your claim by not only doing the filing but also dealing with the insurance adjusters, investigating your case, following up the police accident report, and negotiating for the best compensation.
Given your situation, the best person that can help you right after an accident is a personal injury attorney.
Call Your Insurance Company
Calling your attorney is not enough. You’ll also need to call your insurance company.
However, only call your insurance company when you’re ready and composed as they might require some information from you.
And, if you are not in the best state of mind, you can just explain it to them and leave things to get sorted out with your attorney.
The benefit of calling your insurance company is because they need to be aware of the various damages on the vehicle and the injuries you’ve sustained.
Alerting your insurance company earlier on will allow them to get the statements from you and to ensure the best assessment and acknowledge that it’s not another scam report.
Maintain Your Cool
If you’ve been involved in an accident while on a long-distance trip, there will be a million things running through your mind all at once.
This can be confusing and you may experience mixed emotions and anger.
What you don’t want is to solve any issues right away especially if you’re experiencing heightened emotions.
This will only aggravate the situation further and make even the most solvable situations seem like an uphill task.
You’ll need to be calm and cool. This will also help lower your blood pressure. The following techniques can help you stay calm after an accident:
- Breathing techniques
- If you can, gently rub the pressure points of your hands
- Walk a few feet away from the scene of the accident until help arrives
The above techniques will help you remain civil and handle the situation with grace. This is not the time to point accusing fingers.
Leave it to the traffic police, your insurance company, and your attorney. However, this doesn’t mean fleeing away from the scene of the accident! This can land you into a lot of problems with the law.
Most importantly, ensure to gather significant information (if you can) before leaving the scene of the accident.
This may include taking a few pictures, getting the other driver’s information, and ensuring to document the vehicle details.
These details will come in handy when filing for your claim.