Accidents sometimes happen

Okay, so nobody wants to think about it but sometimes we have to consider it might just happen and what to do. The first thing you should do is check everyone is okay and nobody is hurt. If there are any injuries, you’ll need to call 999 and get some help.

Stay calm

It’s really important to try and stay calm not only because if you panic, others may also pick up on that and start to panic too. It’s also important if you are calling the emergency services as you’ll need to be as coherent as possible so that you can relay your whereabouts and how many cars are involved and the number of casualties.

Stay safe

If your car is still moving after a collision, find a safe place to pull over and stop. Safe places to stop are lay-bys, emergency areas, and hard shoulders but remember, hard shoulders are close to high-speed traffic so if you do have to use the hard shoulder, you and any passengers should keep away from your car. This is to prevent you from being injured should there be a further collision.

Stay visible

If you can, use your car’s hazard lights to warn other vehicles as well as put a warning triangle on the road (if you are not on a motorway). If you have a high visibility vest, put this on regardless of whether it is daylight or dark.

Crash for cash?

Insurance companies are reporting an increase in what they term “crash for cash” accidents which are basically staged accidents. It is important not to admit liability, especially if you suspect this might be a crash for cash. These are happening in more remote areas where there is less prospect of CCTV catching them in the act.

It’s all in the detail

Get as many details as you can if you’re involved in an accident, including registration numbers – if the driver has given false details the police can easily trace the owner of the car.

Take photos of the cars, the damage, and where the accident has taken place as these could all be helpful if needed later on. If there are any witnesses, it could be helpful to get their details too.

Make sure you have an up-to-date insurance policy by clicking on our cheap car insurance, where we compare hundreds of providers. Get started now by filling out this 3-minute form.