As much as we try to avoid them, accidents do happen. If you find yourself in this unfortunate position, we know how to handle the situation with the help from All-State:
Assess your injuries.
If you are hurt, call 911 or ask someone to call them for you. If you are seriously hurt, wait for emergency personnel to arrive and try not to move until then.
Assess injuries of your passengers.
If you are not hurt badly, check-in with everyone in your car and call 911 for anyone who needs those services.
Move from traffic.
If you can move your vehicle out of the flow of traffic for your safety, pull over to the side of the road and wait for emergency personnel to arrive. Turn off your engine, turn on your hazard lights, and use your road flares to warn other drivers to slow down.
Call 911.
If you have not already, call 911 to report the accident. The officers will fill out an accident report, which will help you when filing an insurance claim.
Exchange insurance information.
This may include the other driver’s full name and contact information, insurance company and policy number, driver’s license and license plate number, and vehicle information (type, color, and model).
Document the accident.
To complete your records of the incident, identify the officers by their name and badge number, obtain a copy of the accident report, take pictures of both vehicles from different angles, note all names and addresses of all passengers in the cars, and take down the contact information of any witnesses.
Start a claims process with your insurance company.
It would be a good idea to call your insurance agent at the accident scene so that you know exactly what information they will need.
If necessary, get your car towed and arrange for a collision repair center to take a look.
Unfortunately, some accidents can really damage your car. Depending on who you work with, it doesn’t have to be a hassle! Have your car towed to a Performance Collision Centers location to relieve any stress and worry that comes with a bad accident. You will get a quick estimate for the damages, and we will explain every step of the process before we do anything to your car. We work directly with your insurance company, and we can even supply a rental car for your convenience! Find a location nearest to you to see how we can help you.
When you’ve had an accident, it’s hard to be stress-free, but following these steps will take away many of the scene’s confusion.