We hope you’re never involved in a car accident. Unfortunately,
they do happen. In addition to practicing safe driving, it’s best to be prepared
for the unexpected. Keep the following in mind if you ever get in a fender bender:
Stay calm. You
don’t want to say or do anything that may worsen an already troubling
situation.
Stay at the scene.
Make sure you are in a safe place either in or near your vehicle. If you or the
other driver(s) need medical attention, call 911 immediately.
Report it. No matter
how minor the accident may be, failure to report it to law enforcement is against
the law. You also need to exchange insurance information.
Take photos. Use
your cell-phone camera, or better yet, have a disposable camera on hand for
these situations. Take photos of both vehicles and the area in which the
accident occurred.
Take notes.
Text yourself or keep a notebook handy so you can jot down notes about
what you were doing before the crash, which direction you were headed,
when the other driver came into the scene, etc.
Stay on top of it.
Keep in constant contact with your insurance company and the repair
shop to make sure everything is happening in a timely manner so you can
get on with your life.