It happened. You pulled out of a parking space just as someone else was doing the same. Or maybe someone moved into your lane without seeing you. However it happened, you’ve found yourself in a minor car accident. What now?
There are few things more stressful in life than finding yourself in an auto accident. While we all hope that we can avoid situations like this, chances are that at some point you’ll end up in a collision with another vehicle. Safety is the #1 concern in all auto-related incidents, but even parking lot accidents that don’t result in any major injuries can have serious ramifications when it comes to liability, insurance, and what comes next in the claim process.
Unfortunately, many drivers aren’t aware of their responsibilities when it comes to what must happen after an accident and what they need to do to file a claim. Even worse, many don’t know how to protect themselves from financial liability or even legal action. After an accident, you’re often disoriented, confused, and frightened. Your brain has likely sent a surge of adrenaline through your body, which can make you feel agitated and make it difficult to think clearly. But the minutes immediately following an accident are extremely important, and what you say and how you act can have a massive impact on the outcome of any insurance-related actions that come next. That’s why having a set checklist in mind for how to proceed is absolutely essential to protect yourself. It's not just about collecting insurance information or exchanging information with the other driver.
So how can you ensure that you know what to do when you’ve been in a minor automobile accident? At Freedom National, we want you to be fully prepared for anything that life throws at you, and that includes minor car accidents and collisions with other vehicles and drivers. That’s why we’ve created this guide that will help you learn the most important steps to take to get safe, get the information you need, and help protect yourself from needless out-of-pocket expenses and legal action whenever and wherever possible.
While every incident is unique, these 8 tips will help serve as your checklist the next time you or someone you love is in a minor car accident and must decide what to do next
The very first thing on your mind after a car accident should always be safety. Take stock of your situation. Are you hurt? Are you able to move normally and without pain? If you’re unharmed, don’t immediately open your car door and hop out. Look out your windows and think about where you are. The accident may have pushed your car into a different lane of traffic, off the road, or directly into the middle of an intersection.
Once you have your bearings, determine whether you can safely move your car to the side of the road or another safe location. In a major collision, your car may be unable to drive, in which case you should safely exit the car when you can and get you and any passengers to a safer location. You should also take a moment to check for any sparks, fires, or leaks resulting from the accident. If you see any of these things, get far away from the vehicle and immediately call 911.
If there is no sign of leaks or damage, determine whether anyone else in the accident is hurt or in danger. Assist them if necessary, but hopefully after a minor fender bender everyone will be simply shaken up rather than injured.
Get yourself to safety, then get your car to safety if necessary, and only then start worrying about the other details that come next.
Many drivers debate whether calling 911 is the right call in the context of a minor car accident, but at Freedom National we advise that you always take the initiative to call 911 when there’s an accident, no matter how minor or the circumstances involved. Some people are hesitant to call the police because they worry that they’re at fault in the accident. But even if this is the case, having the police present to document the exact facts of the incident can be beneficial to you down the line when it comes to determining liability and the details of what happened.
Not only that, but in many states it’s actually a legal requirement to call 911 in the event of an accident, no matter how minor it might be.
Responding officers will help ensure that everyone is safe, then fill out a full accident report and document the scene of the accident as accurately and completely as possible. In some situations, particularly with extremely minor accidents, police won’t be able to come to the accident scene in-person, in which case you’ll need to visit the nearest police station and file the report yourself.
Remember that the police are there to help and document what occurred. If you’re at fault and receive a minor citation, it will be well worth the chance to have an official documentation of what occurred to give to your insurer. This will help with the claims process and help you move more quickly towards resolving the entire incident.
Once you’ve determined that everyone is safe and unharmed, and you’ve called the police, it’s time to exchange information with the other driver or drivers involved in the incident.
This can be an uncomfortable moment, as the moments immediately following a car accident can be filled with tension, frustration, and even anger if someone feels that another driver is at fault. Our recommendation is that you resist the urge to engage with these emotions. Don’t fall into a conversation about who’s at fault, who made which mistake, and who’s going to pay. That’s up to the insurers to decide, not you. Your responsibility is to obtain the driver’s information and document the circumstances of the case—not win an argument with the other driver about who did what.
When it comes to which information to obtain, we recommend using this checklist:
It’s also wise to snap a photo of the other driver’s license plate when possible, on the rare occasion that a driver gives you misleading or incomplete information—you’ll still have their license plate number to give to the insurance company or authorities.
You should always be as forthcoming as possible with your own information. They don’t need your home address or other location-based identifying information, but sharing your basic contact information is a standard part of the post-accident interaction with other drivers. That’s another reason why calling 911 immediately after an accident is a wise idea. Anyone who may have an instinct to falsify information or use your information for purposes other than insurance claims will likely be deterred by a police presence.
If police reported to your 911 call on the scene, then they’ll prepare a report which you’ll then be able to access—either there on the spot or later by calling the police department where the report was filed. Obtaining this report is very important, as it will help with determining the facts of your case so that insurers can make an accurate designation of what transpired.
As we mentioned above, some police departments won’t come to the scene of minor fender benders. In these cases, you generally have up to 72 hours after an accident to file a report yourself. Remember, this is still worthwhile—even if you think that you might be partially or fully at fault. Having all of the details of the case available as possible can help remove ambiguity and keep the other driver from recounting a potentially overblown account of what happened.
Remember that filing a police report is required in some states, even if police don’t arrive on the scene. So make sure to file your report within 72 hours to avoid adding legal issues on top of your insurance claim.
In some states, car accidents are legally required to be reported to that state’s bureau or department of motor vehicles. This is often dependent on how much damage has occurred in terms of a dollar figure. For example, in some states accidents must be reported if damage to either vehicle has exceeded $2,500 in total costs.
Reporting your accident to the DMV might seem intimidating, but like filing a police report it’s just another way to help keep a record of the facts of the incident to help insurance claims down the road. It’s also important to remain compliant with all state regulations.
Even if the local police are on the scene and filing a report, taking your own photos and documentation immediately after the wreck is extremely important. You can never take too many photos or records of what occurred.
Start with the vehicles, including the damaged areas, license plates, makes and models, distinguishing characteristics, and the positioning of the vehicles in the road. These can all be essential in helping insurance claim adjusters determine who is at fault and what exactly transpired in the accident.
Don’t stop at the vehicles—take photos of the area surrounding where the accident occurred. This can include road markings, relevant street signs, stoplights, and even road name signs to help identify the exact location of where the accident happened.
Not only will your insurance company request photos like these to help settle the claim, but they can also help you keep the facts straight when it comes to what happened. Your mind will likely be moving a mile a minute immediately after a frightening accident, even if it’s minor. Taking photos can help you recall what occurred when you’re in a more stable mindset.
Even with ample photos, you may also want to consider jotting down some notes immediately after the accident, either into a notepad or a notes app on your phone. Think of details that photos can’t capture, like how fast you were going, what happened leading up to and during the accident, and anything else that might be relevant. This is also a good place to write down any notes regarding fault, rather than bringing them up directly to the other driver and causing a confrontation. This could include notes like whether the driver was on their cell phone, whether they signaled to change lanes, etc.
Remember—the more details of the accident you gather for yourself, the less you leave open to interpretation or ambiguity for claims adjusters. You want to present a clear and easily understood record of exactly what happened so that there’s no question about who is at fault or liable.
Was anyone present to witness the accident? One detail that many people who find themselves in a collision forget is that third-party eyewitnesses can be incredibly valuable to insurance claim adjusters. Many people who witness an accident recognize their responsibility to remain on the scene to share their information in case insurers or the police need to contact them about what happened.
You’re not responsible for gathering personal information on every possible witness or an official statement, but try to identify a few witnesses on the scene and simply jot down their names and phone numbers. This will allow you, the insurance company, or the police contact them easily later and receive their account of what happened.
Remember—this is not the time to try to recruit witnesses to ‘your side’ about the events of the accident. There are no battles to be won or lost between you and the other person in the accident at the scene. Neither of you will determine who was at fault via a confrontation at the scene. With that in mind, avoid trying to lead witnesses with language like, “You saw it, right? You saw them come into my lane, didn’t you?”
Keep it simple—find out who witnessed the accident, get their contact information, and share it with your insurer whenever and wherever it’s requested.
There are a lot of emotions associated with car accidents, regardless of who is at fault and even if no one is at fault at all. There can also be some nervousness and fear about who’s going to be held responsible, how the accident may affect insurance premiums, and other concerns.
With that in mind, it can be easy to let emotion get the better of you and lead you to say things that may not be wise. This can be especially difficult if the other driver is upset, angry, accusatory, or defensive.
Stay calm. You should be extremely measured about anything you say after the accident. This is particularly important when it comes to assigning blame. Don’t take full responsibility for the accident, even if you feel at fault. You can be apologetic and polite in your conversation, but try to avoid explicit admissions of fault.
Experts also advise explicitly stating that you’re not hurt. A common occurrence is that a person in an accident doesn’t feel particularly hurt at the time, but later requires medical care which may be covered by the other driver’s insurer. However, the driver may have mentioned on the scene that they were ‘fine’ or ‘not hurt.’ If someone asks if you’re injured or okay, simply say that you can’t be sure until you see a doctor and leave it at that.
In general, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to keep your emotions in check at the scene and only speak about what’s necessary. Feel free to have small talk with other drivers or witnesses, but remember that you don’t have to win any arguments on the scene. The time immediately following the accident is for gathering information, collecting evidence, and exchanging contact info with other drivers and witnesses.
No one wants to be in an accident. And everyone fears the administrative tasks and concerns involved, not to mention the awkwardness of interacting with someone who’s car you may have just crashed into on the road. But if you know how to handle yourself and make the right decisions in the time immediately after the crash, you can put yourself in the best possible position to resolve the insurance concerns as quickly as possible.
One of the best tools you can have on your side? A trusted insurance provider who will be your partner every step of the way. You can find cheap car insurance quotes online with Freedom National.