What to do if you are in an automobile collision

When you learn to drive, you’ll be taught all sorts of useful things, such as how to merge on the freeway and how to safely drive in the snow, but one thing you might not be taught is what to do if you end up in an accident. You probably have plenty of unanswered questions in regards to which truck & auto accident lawyers to contact following a collision, and how to conduct basic first aid. It is a situation you don’t want to find yourself in, even less so if you’re unprepared. 

Stop

It might sound obvious, but it is a legal obligation in most places in the world to stop after a collision, even if it is only a small accident. Sometimes you might find that shock and adrenalinewill make you want to carry on driving, but it’s important that you stop and check for any damage or injuries to yourself and others. Stop in as safe a place as possible and turn your engine off, put your hazard lights on so that your car is visible to other road users. 

Assess injuries 

Everyone should know some basic first aid, especially for situations like this. For example, if you or someone else is bleeding, it is important to know where to put pressure and how to stem the flow of blood before emergency services can attend. If someone has potentially injured their neck or spine, it’s crucial not to move them, and in most cases, it is better to be checked over in case adrenaline is masking any pain or you have any internal injuries. 

Take record

Be sure to get the name, address, phone number, and insurance details of any other vehicles involved in the accident, as well as details from any witnesses. You don’t need to take any statements; that’s for the police to do, but having their details will be useful. Take photographs of any damage done to the cars involved and any injuries you have yourself. You can’t go back in time and do any of these things, so it is better to have more information than you need, rather than finding you are missing something important further down the line when it’s too late. 

Know who to call

Different states have different laws on whether the police have to be called, but there will be some instances when you will need to call for their assistance anyway. It’s important that you feel able to call for medical help if you need it too – whether that be going to the emergency room, calling an ambulance, or just booking in with your doctor for a once over.

Panic, stress, worry and shock can all impact how we behave in certain situations, but if we have the knowledge of what to do in the back of our mind, often we can start working on autopilot to check that everyone involved is safe and well. Hopefully, after reading this, you’ll be able to store this information in case you ever do need it – and let’s hope you don’t!