Any car accident can be very distressing - buying a brand new front wheel hub or rear wheel hub and then having it destroyed is never fun. However, if you areprepared it can help make a stressful situation more manageable. This guide isfor cases in which there are no injuries to either party in the accident. Ifyou are involved in an accident where there are injuries to either party, youmust stop immediately and dial 911.
The first thing to do if you are involved in an accident is,if possible, to move your car to a safe nearby location out of the way of othermotorists. Be careful not to go too far, and never leave the scene. Leaving the scene of an accident is a highlypunishable offense and a felony in cases where someone is injured.
Stay calm. Regardless of whether the accident was your faultor not, don’t panic, remain polite, and do not admit fault. Contact your localpolice, who will inform you whether or not a patrol officer should come andassess the situation.
Then exchange information with the other party. Collecttheir contact information, insurance information, the year make model and colorof their vehicle, and their license plate number. Take a picture of the damage toboth vehicles at the scene of the accident. Take pictures from multiple angles,and try to get as much detail as possible – from close-ups of the damage towider shots of the scene itself. If you do not have a camera on yourmobile phone, purchase a disposable camera and keep it in your car at all timesin case of an accident. Also collect contact information from the tow truckdriver and any witnesses (if present).After you have exchanged all of the information necessary,you should be ready to get on your way. Make sure to keep all of theinformation you gathered in a safe place so you can reference it once youreturn home to complete the necessary paperwork, and ensure the responsibleparty pays for the repairs.
