Meeting with a car accident is no doubt stressful for a vehicle driver and passengers. Still, if in a relatively good state after a car collision, it helps greatly to overcome psychological barriers and look for ways to manage the situation quickly. Sometimes, it isn’t gruesome car accidents that may lead to the loss of one or more lives, but mismanagement of the accident scene aggravating the suffering for the victims.
With comprehensive car insurance, your vehicle will be covered for any damage to it, and for any damage to other people’s vehicles or properties. However, having car insurance in NSW can’t be an excuse to evade an accident scene. Whether or not you are at fault, you have the moral responsibility to create a safe environment for others. In the meantime, you can also collect some evidence that may help you prove your case if you are not at fault.
Taking the proper steps post a vehicle collision incident when you are not at fault may help you come out clean from the consequences of a messy accident. We suggest the order of steps here for vehicle owners wondering what to do next if they face a road disaster.
Survey the scene
The foremost thing you need to do is not panic; instead, once you are pulled over as safely as possible check if everyone involved in the accident is safe and sound. It goes unsaid that any damage to vehicles or property can be fixed or replaced, but securing the people in an accident scene comes first. If you find anyone suffering from injuries, call for emergency help immediately.
Signal to the traffic behind
Amidst the current chaos, the last thing you want to happen is another accident. So, ensure the surrounding area is safe for you and other people at the scene and those who are approaching it. This includes helping people to vacate all the cars involved and move the vehicles off-road if it is safe to do so.
For all: Turn off the engine, put the handbrake on and switch on the hazard lights to warn the traffic passing by. You may also convey the message to approaching traffic through hand signals, so they exercise caution while crossing the accident zone.
Take stock of the situation
Note down the details of all drivers involved in the incident, including name, address, contact number, driver’s license number, number plate, insurance information, etc. If the other drivers inquire about your details, you need to give them. Next, click some clear pictures of the accident scene, your damaged vehicle, and that of the opposite parties’ too.
Don’t come to conclusions
One of the most common mistakes vehicle owners make in an overwhelming scenario is to allege the other party’s negligence or admit fault on the accident spot. However, it would help if you didn’t get worked up. Instead, wait for the police and the insurance providers to do the sorting. Eventually, they will draw a conclusion about which party is guilty of the accident.
Call your insurance provider right away
Waiting to report the incident to your insurer may not be your best move at a crucial time like this. Some insurers may take much longer to start processing your claim, and others may even void it if you delay reporting for a long time. It would be best to read the policy disclosure statements word by word to know about your obligations when met with an unexpected road event. Anyway, talk to your insurer to double-check.
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By all means, you need to inform your car insurance NSW provider about the road accident as soon as possible, whether you are at fault or not. Suppose you are the at-fault driver, then your insurer may take care of your liabilities subject to certain limits. Otherwise, you may have to run from pillar to post in getting your claim approved if the at-fault driver has gone into a denial mode or doesn’t have comprehensive car insurance to compensate for losses to your vehicle.