The Do’s And Don’ts of A Minor Car Accident
Feb 15, 2012
By State Farm™ Employee
The fender bender you were just in appears to be minor. No one looks injured and there is minimal damage to the vehicles. First breathe a sigh of relief – then take these precautions to help prevent your small accident from becoming a big problem.
Don’t drive away.
Do stay at the scene and move your vehicle to a safe place out of traffic even if there appears to be no damage. If the other car is parked and the owner isn’t around, leave a note with your name and contact information.
Do stay at the scene and move your vehicle to a safe place out of traffic even if there appears to be no damage. If the other car is parked and the owner isn’t around, leave a note with your name and contact information.
Don’t assume there aren’t injuries.
Do assess yourself and your passengers. Even low-impact collisions can cause injuries, some not appearing until days after the accident.
Do assess yourself and your passengers. Even low-impact collisions can cause injuries, some not appearing until days after the accident.
Don’t sign any documents and avoid accepting or offering cash for repairs. You may end up paying out-of-pocket to repair damage to your car that only appears minor, or you could pay the other driver more than necessary.
Do stay calm. Take notes and photos, and exchange information with the other driver, including your name, address, phone number, driver’s license number, license plate number, insurance company, and policy number.
Do stay calm. Take notes and photos, and exchange information with the other driver, including your name, address, phone number, driver’s license number, license plate number, insurance company, and policy number.
Don’t assume an accident is too minor to be reported.
Do call the police or file a report on your own. This will help your insurance agent handle your claim. An accident report could also help protect you from issues that may arise later about the extent of damage to your vehicle or injuries to you and the other driver.
Do call the police or file a report on your own. This will help your insurance agent handle your claim. An accident report could also help protect you from issues that may arise later about the extent of damage to your vehicle or injuries to you and the other driver.
Don’t forget to notify your State Farm agent.
Do discuss your options for handling potential claims.
Do discuss your options for handling potential claims.
The State Farm Pocket Agent® smartphone app makes it easy to capture the essential details of an accident. Pocket Agent can help you diagram the accident scene, record witnesses’ names and numbers, contact your agent, and even locate nearby repair shops.
Learn more about what to do after a car accident here: http://www.statefarm.com/insurance/claim-center/auto/what-to-do-after-an-auto-accident.asp
The information in this article was obtained from various sources. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional. Nor is it intended to effect coverage under any policy. State Farm makes no guarantees of results from use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions made.
I agree with this! One more thing that you shouldn’t do is to try straightening out the problem alone and right away. You should not accept any payments then and there for the damage. Call the authorities and let them clear up this matter for you, with your cooperation, of course.
ReplyDelete- Javier Hoppes
“Don’t assume there aren’t injuries.” I agree. You and your passenger might have bruises that are unnoticeable, and it’ll only appear after a few hours or days. This mostly happens particularly when each party is in a hurry. They will settle everything as fast as they can, and drive away as if nothing happened. If possible, go to the nearest hospital for a quick checkup, and let the liable party pay for the medical bills.
ReplyDelete>Amy Baron