Every year in the UK, thousands of motorists and passengers find themselves involved in road traffic accidents. Knowing what to do in such a situation can often be crucial – so let’s run through the best way to react.
Ensure safety and report the incident immediately
Your first priority should be to ensure that everyone involved in the accident is no longer in any danger, and that your presence on the road is not going to cause a problem for other road users. Once everyone is safe, you can check for injuries and summon help using 999. In many cases, switching on your hazard lights is a worthwhile step. You might also set up a warning triangle.
Under UK law, you have a legal obligation to stop and exchange details after a collision. If this is not possible, then you’ll need to report the collision to the police within twenty-four hours. Don’t feel that you have to stop if you’ve collided on a busy motorway and stopping is completely impossible.
If you were a passenger, then you’ll have the right to make a car accident passenger claim — even though you had no control over the situation.
Gather evidence and document everything
getting evidence from the site is essential. The more evidence you have, the easier you’ll find it to make a claim later on.
But what does this evidence look like? The good news is that photographic evidence is extremely valuable – provided that the photographs you take are of a reasonable quality. Capture the road’s layout, the arrangement of vehicles, and any skid marks or visible injuries.
If you have a dashboard camera, then you might find it easier to get by in court. But equally, you might look for nearby CCTV cameras, especially if you’re in a built-up area.
You’ll also want to obtain testimony from any witnesses, including those involved in the collision. Do this via video for best results.
Seek medical attention and keep records
Even if you don’t feel that you’ve suffered a serious injury, it’s a good idea to act as though you have. Seek medical attention so that you can have peace of mind. Then, make sure that you keep hold of every piece of correspondence you get that involves your injury. This will allow you to evidence a claim, if you choose to make one later on.
Understand your rights and begin the claims process
Getting the ball rolling on a claim involves notifying your insurer. This is an essential step. There’s a limited window during which you can do this, typically three years from when you first became aware of your injury (or three years from your eighteenth birthday). In some cases, you might be able to make a claim using a no-win, no-fee arrangement. If you were a passenger in the vehicle, then you might need to follow a distinct process designed to extract compensation for passengers.