Car Accident Not Your Mistake

What to do after a car accident

People who are operating the vehicle in the UK are imposed by law[1]to know the correct measures that they should follow after a car accident. When you follow the rightful steps in this particular case, you are making the road safer and helping the insurer with its efforts to process the claim effectively.

1

Stop safely and stay calm

After an accident, it is a legal requirement to stop as soon as it is safe to do so

[2] 

. Even if the accident seems minor, it’s always best to stop. Give yourself a moment to collect your thoughts.

Stop safely and turn on the hazard warning light

First, stop the vehicle safely. Next, switch off the car’s engine and turn on your hazard lights to signal to other drivers about the incident.

Calm yourself, passengers, and anyone affected

It’s natural to feel overwhelmed after an accident. If you’re unsure about the next steps, you’re not alone - many people find themselves in the same situation. High emotions can affect:All drivers involved

Passengers

Witnesses

Bystanders

Even onlookers in other vehicles

Taking a deep breath and keeping focused on the open-minded communication is what can make the difference. The police have to be informed of this to be able to assist. Try to keep the other person abreast of the situation and talk to them to try to comfort them with your conversation while they are waiting. However, make sure you stay outside your vehicle with other passengers if the situation gets out of control. Make an effort to calm the situation and calm everybody’s nerves, as this will decrease the likelihood of problems occurring and thus ensure that the whole thing is dealt with straightforwardly.

If there are any injuries, call an ambulance immediately

First and foremost, inspect yourself, passengers, and anyone else involved for possible injuries. If you are not sick or injured and can move freely, and if the situation does not seem dire, a good option would be to stand out of the way of oncoming traffic until a police officer arrives. Open the window of your vehicle to talk to the other driver. They may communicate very well and come to a friendly understanding. If this is the case, you would need to present the police or the insurance companies with only the relevant details of the accident that happened lately.

If you notice any injuries, no matter how small they may be,

 the first thing you should do is dial emergency services

 and ask for an ambulance. Remember to identify yourself as the accident person and hail them. Also, remember to give them your address and the nearest cross street or landmark.

If it seems like nobody got hurt,

 it’s a wise idea to acknowledge this situation. This particular information will be helpful in the event of claims that may arise due to fact disputes or injuries later.

If there is any uncertainty about the likelihood of an injury,

 take the liberty of calling emergency services

 

2

Don’t apologise or admit fault

Most people have the instinct to say "I’m sorry" after a crash, even if they do not really know what actually happened. However, it is more prudent not to say sorry yet.

Why shouldn't I apologise after the accident?

Occasionally, such habit or the violent shock makes someone say sorry (whether guilty or not) only to get the injured party off their case. However, you should be careful: other persons might interpret your apology as your acknowledgment that you were the at-fault person, which, in turn, will lead to handling problems with the insurance.

Never forget the content of their words that you need to keep in mind to the effect they’re sorry or said something about the accident. It will be useful for you in the future.

You can also be wise by refraining from making a left-turn in case you know that there is a car coming. This will highly reduce the chances of a collision and protect your life and property.

It’s also a good idea to have someone around who saw what happened, like a witness, for example. They don’t have to be an expert on car accidents, but their recollection of the incident could be vital in clarifying things if necessary.

In case you find yourself in an accident situation where you are not sure if someone is injured or not, it's good to call emergency. At the end of the day, everyone's safety is the most important thing.

3

Knowing when to contact the police

It is often sensible to ensure the police know about a car accident no matter the situation that has occurred.

The decision to report the police depends on the fact of the car accident occurrence. Should you go with the decision to report the accident to police, your goal should always be to do this within 24 hours

as per the police instruction[2].

Calling 999 at the accident scene

Situations where you should call the police

In certain situations subsequent to a not your fault accident, dialing 999 is the most suitable option. These are:

To make sure the area is safe and provide medical care and scene protection

To assist in the inquiry of the collision

If the collision was intentional

If the other driver does not have insurance

If the other driver was on drugs or alcohol

If the other driver escaped from the scene after the collision

Contacting the police within 24 hours

Different ways to report a car accident

If the event does not entail the calling of the police (999) the best habit is to inform your local police station within 24 hours. You can do this by:

Reporting the accident online

Reporting the accident at a convenient station

101 call after the collision

The first thing that happens after the initial shock has passed and everyone is out of danger is that the two drivers must exchange their details to meet the requirement to do so[3]. This is a highly critical step toward a non-fault accident claim being successful. These data will be the ones that you have to receive and provide the following in case of this occurrence:

The drivers exchanging their details

Driver’s full name

Driver’s home address

Driver’s telephone number(s)

Driver’s insurance details

Vehicle registration number

Vehicle’s registered owners details (if the driver is not the vehicle owner)

Copy list

If the other driver doesn't possess valid insurance

If you can, gather the most possible pieces of information and, without any loss of time, notify the police of the case. Related to uninsured drivers, the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) might be in a position to help the injured person if they can provide a statement under oath.

4

After the initial shock has passed and you’ve made sure everyone is okay, UK law requires both drivers to share their details. You’ll need to exchange the following:

Full name

Home Address

Telephone Number(s)

Vehicle Registration Number

Details of the vehicle’s registered owner (if different from the driver)

It’s also wise to jot down the other driver’s insurance company name. This can be handy if you have trouble getting in touch with the driver later on.

Remember to both collect the other driver’s details and provide your own. It’s an offence not to share your details after a car accident. Failing to do so could not only land you in hot water but might also affect any accident claim you make later.

For a smooth claims process later on, keep the details you’ve collected safe. If you can, save them electronically by sending yourself an email or saving them in cloud storage.

While it’s always good to have a paper and pen for things like sketches (see our section on what information to jot down), remember paper can get lost or damaged easily. So, it’s best to keep a backup.

→ What details to exchange in car accident

Why witness details are key

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If the accident wasn’t your fault, you are eligible to start a non-fault claim.

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