What to Do Right After a Car Accident

In the event of a serious crash, dial 000 to call the Police and Ambulance.

Between 2018 and 2019, NSW alone saw a huge 10,477 serious injuries on the road. Whilst the severity of car accidents is on a downward trend, car accidents continue to occur on a daily basis – and regardless of the severity, being involved in a car crash is always a stressful experience.

With this being said, being prepared and knowing what to do in the event of a car crash will ensure that you can put the experience behind you as quickly as possible. An organised and level headed approach is crucial in ensuring that you keep your calm, get through the situation quickly and with minimal hassle, and minimise any potential issues that may arise during or after the process.

This article covers:

  • Being prepared
  • The actions to take on the scene
    • Safety
    • Exchanging information
    • Involving the Police and other third parties

Making Sure You Are Prepared

Although car crashes happen without warning, making the appropriate preparations is the most effective approach to reducing the extent of post-crash problems. Given that negligent driving is unfortunately common on the road, these are measures that are easy to implement and will give you peace of mind while you drive.

The most obvious aspect of preparation is to ensure that you have the appropriate car insurance – as covered later on in this article, keeping proof of insurance in your car and updating it on an ad-hoc basis will come in handy on the scene of a crash. In terms of what to look for in Australian car insurance, drivers usually get maximised benefit from coverage that is flexible and fits their specific needs.

Next, an often overlooked aspect of preparation is in regard to communication – specifically, getting into the habit of driving with a charged phone. Investing in a phone charger for your car and using it whenever you drive means that you are always able to call for help – whether this is a call for police or an ambulance, or to family or a friend.

Another important part of being prepared that will save you time and effort in the future to have your preferred third party contacts already decided on. With contacts for repairs and other necessary services ready to go, you’ll be able to sort everything out and fix car damage at your convenience .

Finally, being prepared for a car crash (and minimising the likelihood of one occurring in the first place) should involve practicing road safety, and implementing post-crash safety measures. Road safety is one of the most important aspects of being on the road, and includes things like adhering to road rules and wearing a seatbelt. In the aftermath of a crash, particularly if it occurs in a rural area (which a significant portion of crashes do), having things like water, blankets and energy bars, an escape tool, a torch and some traffic cones can be vital.

Ensuring Safety Right After a Crash

Regardless of how prepared you are, there are going to be actions you need to take on the scene of a crash. Depending on whether your car crash is serious (in which case you should call 000) or just a minor bump, you should do the following things.

Immediately after a crash, you will need to focus on immediate safety concerns. Before anything, you have to pull over and provide whatever help you can. Your main priority should be to ensure the safety of yourself and people around you – this includes anyone involved in the crash, as well as other drivers and pedestrians.

Clear the scene if there is a chemical or fire risk, remove any debris that you can, and take any possible measures to reduce the risk of another crash – this is where having traffic cones on hand can come in handy. Moreover, make sure your engine is turned off and your hazards are on.

Communicating With the Involved Parties

When you are exchanging information with the other relevant parties, you should provide (and receive) the following:

  • Name
  • Address
  • License details
  • Vehicle registration number
  • Insurance information

In addition, you will need to provide the name and address of the owner of the car you are driving, if it is not yours.

Whilst you should exchange this information, one thing that you should never do is admit responsibility for the accident, or otherwise imply that you caused it. In order for your insurance company to take care of the claim, let them take care of it.

In addition to getting the details of the other party, you should take pictures of any damage that has occurred.

If another party is failing to provide the relevant information, the best course of action will be to get the police involved. This brings us to the next section – knowing when to involve the police .

Understanding When to Involve the Police and Others

Aside from checking for danger, taking the appropriate safety measures and communicating with the involved parties, you should consider whether the police need to be involved.

Situations that can require police involvement include if a person is injured or killed, any party is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, any property has been damaged, if someone fails to exchange information, or if another party is acting in an aggressive manner.

Aside from the police, you should also consider other third parties. If the damage to your car is serious, you’ll need to get your car towed – if no one is injured, no one is under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and peculiars have been exchanged by all involved parties, you can organise this yourself and leave the area. If this is the case, you’ll still need to report the crash to Police – this should be done within 24 hours, either by going to a police station or calling 131 444, the police assistance line. If the damage is minor, you don’t need to report the crash to the police, for insurance purposes or otherwise.

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