There are a lot of things that can happen when you get into a car accident. For example, you may have been speeding, distracted, or just not paying attention to the road.
Whatever the case may be, it is essential to know what steps to take to deal with an accident if you were at fault. Here, you will learn how to deal with a car accident when you are at fault and other helpful tips on not feeling guilty about your mistake after the fact.
Stop Your Vehicle and Stay Safe
It is imperative to stop your vehicle after a car accident when you are at fault. This is the law in all states and should be followed regardless if it was just a fender bender or more severe injury to another party involved.
First, stop safely as soon as possible. The last thing you want to do is compound any problems by driving off without stopping your vehicle first. Second, if passengers in your car witnessed what happened, ask them for their help by calling 911 while they follow behind you until police arrive on the scene. Be sure that everyone stays safe and nobody gets hurt during this process either!
Report the Car Accident
If you are in an accident or your car gets vandalized, for example, it will be helpful to have the information of the other party involved. When reporting a car accident to police officers, they may ask questions about how fast each driver was travelling at impact and whether drivers were wearing seat belts.
It can also be helpful later on when filing insurance claims against another person’s policy. For that reason, try not to leave out any details about what happened before the actual collision occurred because these facts could turn into necessary evidence down the road.
Inform Your Insurance
When you are at fault in a car accident, your insurance must be informed as soon as possible. If the other party is not cooperative or fleeing from the scene of the crime, contact your insurer first and then try to obtain information about them. Every detail must be documented with photos and videos, and you must get a copy of the accident report from the police.
Arrange for Payment
If you are at fault, it’s likely an insurance company will contact you about the accident. If this happens, be honest and direct with your insurer. Tell them exactly what happened so they can assess the damage to their car as well as yours. If the damage is not too severe, your insurer may suggest a sell structured settlement for repairs.
Exchange Contacts
If the person you hit is okay with exchanging contacts, your next step should be to exchange those details. If they are not comfortable sharing that information right now or at all, proceed with taking down their license plate and state of registration so it can be passed along to an insurance company. Make sure to get the other driver’s name, address, phone number, and insurance information.
When you are at fault in an accident, it is crucial to take the steps necessary to protect yourself. The above steps should help guide you.
