It's something that you hope will never happen, but knowing what you should do if you have a car accident is a good idea just in case.
1. Stop
It may sound obvious but whether you hit another vehicle, a person, property or even an animal the first thing you should do is stop the engine, turn your hazard lights on and get out of your car.
2. Check
Check that any other party involved is ok and call the police and/or ambulance services if anyone is injured or if vehicles are blocking the road.
If no one is injured and the road isn't blocked then it's not always necessary to call the police to the scene. However, you should report it to your local police station within 24 hours regardless.
If any other car involved doesn't stop then you should call 999.
When you speak to others at the scene it's important not to admit fault, as this is for the insurance companies to decide.
3. Collect evidence
Before anyone moves anything take a picture of the scene of the accident with your mobile phone (or sketch the position of the vehicles if you don't have a camera phone). You should also take a picture of any damage to vehicles or property involved.
It's also a good idea to note down the registration number, colour, make and model of any other vehicles involved.
4. Swap details
You're likely to be in shock but it's important to remember to exchange details with anyone else involved in the accident. If you're the only vehicle involved you should leave your details at the scene so that you can be contacted if someone wants to place an insurance claim against you.
The more information you can note down the better. However, you should make sure you exchange:
- names
- addresses
- telephone numbers
- insurance details
- driving licence numbers
- name and contact details of the registered owner of the vehicle if it's not the driver
- name and contact details of the company if it's a company vehicle
If police attend the scene you should ensure that you note down their names and officer numbers and, if possible, collect the names and contact numbers of any witnesses.
5. Write a report
Your memory of events will get sullied once you start talking to others about what happened so it's important to write down your version of events as soon as possible. This is a good idea even if you're the only vehicle involved.
You should note down:
- The time and date of the accident
- The number of vehicles involved
- The number of passengers in each car
- What you remember to have happened
- Any hazards that may have contributed to the accident
- The driving conditions - visability and road
- The approximate speed of all vehicles involved
6. Contact your insurance company
You need to notify your insurance company about your accident whether or not you intend to make a claim. Failing to do so may invalidate your policy and cause bigger issues if any other party lodges a claim against you.
It's likely that your insurer will have a claims helpline and you should call this as soon as possible.
7. Check your car
It's important to check both that your car is roadworthy and that you are safe to drive before you leave the scene of the accident.
However, minor the accident it's likely that you'll be pretty shaken up. If you don't feel confident driving then you should move your car to a safe position at the side of the road and call someone to come and collect you.
Similarly if you're not confident that your car is safe to drive you should inform your insurance company or contact your breakdown provider and request assistance.
