What to do if you crash your car immediately after it happens

So, you’ve crashed your car and don’t know what to do, what’s next? In the course of an average lifetime, it’s said that you will have at least 3 crashes. Hopefully, the crash doesn’t amount to anything more than a few scratches, but you don’t know what the damage is until you get out of the car. 

Without further ado, let’s get into what to do after a car crash immediately after it happens.

What to do if you crash your car immediately after it happens 

You need to first make sure that you stop the car as soon as possible, as it is classed as an offence if you drive away, knowing that you could have caused damage to your car, another car, you or another person. You must then turn off the engine as you don’t know what damage you have done to the car. Switch your hazard lights on next so that you warn any other road users why you are there. Check for any injury to yourself or other passengers. If it is a minor crash and there are no injuries, take a note of it in case the other people, later on, try to claim that they have had injuries. Call the police immediately if there are any road blockages. Likewise, call the ambulance immediately if there are any injuries. Try to remain calm in the situation. Do not apologise or admit responsibility before you know exactly what happened, this can help you to protect yourself from liability if it’s not your fault. 

You should call the police if: 

• There are no road blockages.
• If any drivers in the incident leave without giving away any details.
• If the driver does not have insurance or is under the influence of drinking and drugs.
• If you suspect that the driver has caused the accident purposefully.
• Tell the police about the incident within the first 24 hours.

What to do if you crash your car immediately after it happens: When should I exchange motoring details? 

Everyone involved in the incident should share their name, address and phone number if the accident caused injury or damage, you are going against the law if you don’t comply with this. You should then swap insurance information and details with the other people involved. If the crash causes damage or harm, take the details down from any witness of the incident. If a foreign lorry is involved, get the number of both the lorry and the trailer and the company name of the lorry- just in case their records cannot be found immediately.

What to do if you crash your car immediately after it happens: What details should I take at the scene of the accident?

Make sure that you record the make, model, colour and number plate of all the cars that were involved in the incident or take pictures of them. Note the date and time of the crash. Even though it seems trivial, take note of the conditions you were in while driving, the weather, the road, the road markings, etc. Take note of the damage to the vehicles and where the location of the damage is, for example, the wing mirror or the boot etc. Take note of any injuries to drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Take the names and contact details of any witness’. Lastly, take pictures of the scene using your phone including the positions of the cars and the damage caused. 

If there is nobody else present at the scene, you should always leave your details on the car in a place that is visible to the owner. If a witness or CCTV camera caught you driving into a parked car and driving off without a note, you could be in serious trouble. 

Thank you for reading our blog ‘What to do if you crash your car immediately after it happens’. If you have had a car crash and need any repairs, get in touch with Scuff Doc today.