Having an accident is very stressful. Things will happen fast because your adrenalin is pumping. It is important to keep a cool head. Are you at fault? If not, how will you be compensated? Is your car drivable? If not, how will you get home? How will your car get to the repair shop? Will your car ever be safe again? There are many decisions to be made. The average American gets into an accident only once every 17 years. Car Consultants understands this and we are there to help you.

Here are some helpful tips that will get the ball rolling on the path to restoring your car back to pre-accident condition.

1. Pull over to the shoulder or a safe location, out of the way of traffic.

2. Turn off your car. Continuing to run your vehicle can cause additional damage to your vehicle that is not directly a result of the loss. For example, if your car was hit in the front and the radiator is leaking. Leaving the vehicle running may result in damaging your motor.

3. Call the police. Sometimes the other party will admit fault and offer to pay. Even so Car Consultants advises to call the police and have an official accident report generated. This step is very important especially if you are not at fault.

4. While waiting for the police to arrive, start to document everything from photos of the location of the accident, to the damage to both vehicles. If it is safe, try to get the other driver’s information including name, address, telephone and insurance information including company and policy number. Simply taking a picture of the insurance card will collect all of the information that you will need.

5. Once the police arrive, they will control the situation and take statements. If your vehicle is not drivable, they will dispatch a tow company. If your vehicle is in a safe location and not obstructing traffic you may request your own tow company or body shop come to pick up your vehicle. If it is obstructing traffic you may not have much of a choice. Be sure you know where your vehicle is being taken.

Not sure what to do next?
Car Consultants can help you make the right decisions. We offer a wide variety of services to help you through the process. Calling your insurance directly may start a claim, even if it is not your fault! It could be recorded as an incident, and negatively effect your rates upon renewal. Car Consultants can help you decide whether you should pay out of pocket, or file a 1st party (going through your insurance) or 3rd party (going through the other drive’s insurance) claim. We can help you decide which is better approach depending on your situation. Car Consultants can also provide you with a written estimate in case you decide to pay out of pocket and want to shop around.