Originally posted on March 20, 2022 @ 8:25 am
Thousands of Americans find themselves getting rear-ended by another car every year, and rarely do any of them expect it to happen. Yet, whether you expect it or not, it’s always important to be prepared for whatever comes your way.
Knowing what to do if you’re rear-ended by your car is the best way to ensure that you don’t miss any important steps, or suffer any long-term injuries. If you find yourself in a fender bender, rear-ended buy another car by no fault of your own, then make sure you do the following things.
Make Sure Everyone Is Ok
First and foremost, it’s important that you check yourself, and anyone else in your vehicle for injuries. If no one is clearly injured, or showing signs that they require medical attention, then you can move on to ensuring the other driver is safe too. Assess the situation and determine if the accident is a result of the other driver driving while intoxicated. Safety comes before everything else, so make sure that you don’t get ahead of yourself in this regard.
Get Your Car to a Safe Place
If your car is in the middle of the road, or in a dangerous place for you or for others, pull your car over to safety. The last thing that you want is to create more accidents by creating an obstacle for incoming traffic. This is particularly critical if your accident occurred in a high-speed area, like the freeway. If you can’t move your car, then make sure that you turn on your hazards, and safely make your way to the side of the road with any other passengers to discuss the accident with the other driver.
Keep Conversations Short
There are likely a lot of emotions flowing through your mind, and statistically, many people automatically believe that an accident is their fault. Because they are so panicked, they tend to admit fault at the scene of the accident.
Whatever you do, don’t do this. Keep your interaction as brief as possible, and don’t say anything that could incriminate you later on. Instead, get all of the information you need from the other driver, and worry about whose fault it is later on with your lawyers. If you admit fault, it could be used against you later, and your insurance will be responsible for paying the damages.
Take Photos
Luckily, we live in the age of smartphones, where you always have a camera in your pocket. Make sure that before you leave, you get pictures of the entire scene. Take pictures of your car, as well as the other drivers, to get a clear image of the accident for reference. Even though you may think you’ll remember everything later, in those high-stress moments like an accident, our memories can often fail us later. Pictures are the best way to protect yourself.