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Baton Rouge Collision Centers: What To Do If You Are In a Car Accident

Chris Medine • Aug 09, 2023


Editor's note: This post was originally published on July  31, 2015 and has been updated for accuracy and relevance.


The first moments after an automotive accident are incredibly stressful, and happen very fast. It is very easy to forget to do something that might come back to haunt you later. So we have put together a checklist to help you keep your cool to help you know what to do if you are in an accident.


Put the car in park and turn it off.

This might seem like common sense, but often times after an accident, people are so emotionally shaken that they forget to do this and while everyone is assessing damage, the vehicle begins to roll. Remember that if your car is still in drive, the engine is still trying to push it forward. If the car breaks loose from whatever was stopping it, it can make a bad situation worse.


Make sure everyone is okay.

Start with yourself, then check on your other passengers. You’ll obviously want to check for blood and any burns from an air bag. Get a verbal response from all passengers to make sure they aren’t hurt. Once you have done that, assess the inside of the vehicle before exiting. Even if you avoid injury during the crash, there is still the potential for danger of shattered glass, frayed metal, etc. when getting out of the car.


Stay calm.

This can’t be stressed enough. You may need to even remind yourself out loud a few times, but staying calm is one of the most important things you can do following an accident. The reason for this is that an accident naturally pumps your adrenaline, and is an emotional event. It is normal to be mad at the other driver, or scared about what just happened, but the more you are able to stay calm, the better you will do in recounting what happened to police or your insurance company.


Assess the damage.

Take pictures, tons of pictures. Make sure you get a photo of every possible angle of the wreck. You are going to need these later. (Along with pictures, it’s a good idea to grab a video of the damage, and even utilize your phone’s panoramic camera if that is an option. Once you have assessed the damage, you may need to remove the vehicles from the road.


If the accident took place in a heavily trafficked area, most municipalities ask that you allow traffic to resume flowing.

There are a few things to consider before moving your vehicle. First, if anyone is hurt, you need to stay where you are. Second, if there is a dispute over fault you not want to disrupt the scene by moving. Third, if you are not impeding traffic, moving isn’t necessary.


Notify police. 

This doesn’t always seem like a necessary step, and sometimes people want to avoid having a record of an accident out of fear that it will affect their insurance rates. But, the prudent thing to do is to always contact law enforcement. If for no other reason, they are a neutral third party and can insure that the information you get from the other party involved in the accident is accurate.


Call the collision repair shop of your choice.

Should you choose Medine’s, we can get a tow truck en route to your location even before the police arrive.


Gather your information.

Once you have notified authorities, you will want to have all your pertinent information at the ready. Namely, your license, registration and proof of insurance will be your top priorities. The quicker you make this paperwork available, the faster the whole process will move along. Also, while waiting for police, it’s a good idea to go ahead and swap information with the other driver. But, you don’t want to get any wrong info. The best thing you can do is take a picture of their insurance card and let them have a picture of yours. This will save your collision repair shop a ton of time, and in turn will get back on the road sooner.


Call your insurance company.

While it may seem like this step should come sooner, calling your insurance company is the last thing you need to do following an accident. There are multiple reasons for this. You want to have a full assessment of the damage and fault in the accident. That means including the input of law enforcement. You also want to wait until you have calmed down. Like it or not, adrenaline pumps during an accident. Talking to your insurance company before your adrenaline comes down could lead to overlooking important details about what happened. In order to get the most effective help out of your insurance company, it is important to provide as many details up front as you can. This should help the adjuster know what to look for when evaluating your vehicle. Also, changing your story after the fact isn’t always the easiest thing to do with the insurance company. Lastly, there is no immediate deadline on contacting your insurance company. Every other step in the process needs to take place to get you on your way. This step needs to take place to get your vehicle’s repairs covered.


While every accident is different and presents different scenarios, being prepared for these nine steps can make the experience a bit smoother. Click here  for other resources to help you out as well.

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