You are exiting a parking lot or changing lanes and thunderous blow! - suddenly there is another vehicle and you are in the middle of a small car accident. Fortunately, no one was injured, the cars are not completely destroyed, but some damage has been done and repairs will be needed. If you've never been in a car accident before, you may not know what to do, and it could hurt your wallet as well as your car.
Steps
Method 1 of 1: Coping with a Small Car Accident
Step 1. Get the license plate number, make and model of the other car
There is a chance that the other driver will leave, so it's good to look at the back of his car right away, repeat his license plate number out loud and keep repeating it until you can write it down (or take a picture with the phone camera).
Step 2. Turn on the emergency lights
Step 3. Call the police as soon as possible
One might think that the police should only be called if it is a serious accident or if someone is injured, in fact the police should be called in any case no matter how small the incident is, especially if repairs are needed. The police report will help insurance companies determine liability.
Ask the police if you need to carefully move the car off the road, if it moves and it is safe to do so. Do not drive away to prevent the other driver from thinking he wants to leave
Step 4. Get out of your car only if it is reasonably safe outside or safer than inside the car
In a minor accident, the car is unlikely to be in danger of catching fire. Do not go out in fast traffic - get out through the opposite door if necessary. The police will soon be able to direct traffic safely. Be especially careful at night. It is much better for someone to invest the car with you inside, rather than invest you unprotected. And it is far better not to quickly assist someone with minor injuries or lose a witness who might say whose responsibility is, than to have someone hit by a car.
Step 5. Make sure nobody got hurt
Check yourself and passengers for possible injuries, scratches, bruises or loss of orientation.
Step 6. Look for witnesses
If the accident happened in front of a pedestrian, shop, or other driver, ask the attendant to stay on the scene until the police arrive so they can provide their statements. If possible, get your name and phone number.
Step 7. Exchange information with the other driver
You should exchange the following information:
- Names, addresses, telephone numbers
- License numbers
- Car insurance companies (including company name, address, telephone number, and policy number)
Step 8. Tell the police officer what exactly happened
Be specific and don't overdo it.
Step 9. File a complaint with your insurance, or if the other driver agrees, present the CID
Reporting to the insurance is mandatory even if you do not believe you are responsible. The CID (Direct Compensation Agreement), or blue form, allows the insured who is at least partly right, to obtain compensation for damages suffered directly from their insurance. Of course, if the damage is really small, the reimbursement by the insurance may not be convenient. Generally, the intervention by the insurance, in the event of its own responsibility, could lead to an increase in the cost of the annual premiums to be paid, so an assessment of the amount of damage resulting from the accident is still appropriate. However, you should in any case inform the insurance company about the accident!
Advice
- These instructions describe how to behave in the event of minor accidents, however it is also necessary to take into account the regulations of the country where the accident occurred.
- If you are not responsible and the car is damaged, the other driver may try to convince you not to call the police and not to file a refund request. While it is not uncommon for the parties to come to an agreement without involving the police and insurance, there are no guarantees. If the other person offers to pay the damages out of pocket, they can easily claim that the accident never happened, or that it was your fault. Ultimately, without a police report, you may not get any kind of compensation.
- Some drivers can be offensive in an accident and aggressive.
- Evaluate the situation after the accident, so that you don't risk being hit by another vehicle, while observing the scene of the accident.
