Being in a car accident is many people’s biggest fear and worst nightmare. It’s commonly known that cars and other motor vehicles injure more people per year than any other mean of transportation. Besides that, at least once a day we hear on the news that there was a car accident, some of them being fatal. If you want to prepare yourself for the worst scenario possible, you need to learn how to act after a car accident. There are certain steps you need to take. So, if you’re unsure about the things you need to do, check out these 5 things that can help you minimise the consequences of a car accident.

1. Check yourself and passengers

Whether you're a driver or a passenger, the first thing you need to do after being in a car accident is checking for injuries on yourself. Taking into consideration the fact that you're aware of your surrounding and not seriously hurt, you can move and check the well-being of other passengers in that vehicle. Firstly, check up on your children, pets and elderly. They have fragile bodies that are more prone to fractures. Therefore, they should be your priority. Scan for possible injuries all over the body. Fractures and internal bleeding may not be visible at first, so you need to call an ambulance.

1. Call police and ambulance

The next thing you should do before leaving your car is calling for help. Whether it’s a minor collision or a major car crash, the crucial thing is to call the police and ambulance. Depending on the state of the cars that were involved in the accident, you might need to call the firefighters as well. Make sure to clearly state your location and whether there are injured people or not. If you’re able to leave the car, get to a safe spot or place before the police and ambulance arrive. Make sure that all of the passengers travelling with you are feeling well and can wait for the ambulance to arrive.

1. Exchange information

After getting to safety and making sure that no one is seriously injured, you should ask other people involved in the accident for the crucial information. Exchanging details with other drivers can be of extreme importance if someone is injured, if the vehicles are damaged or if the case will end up in the court. Make sure to get their insurance information as well, especially if your car was damaged by the other car. Even though it may be hard, try not to blame anyone for the accident. Accidents happen, but it’s not up to you to determine whose fault was it.

1. Protect your rights

The fourth thing you need to do is protect your rights. Who would know better what your rights in the traffic accident are than a lawyer that specialises in that field? Believe it or not, after an accident you may be entitled to the compensation. How can you know that? Only professional lawyers such as Withstand Lawyers are experienced enough to determine whether you’re entitled to compensation after a car accident or not. They can help you by providing you expert advice and tips on how can you get your compensation and protect your rights in the court of law.

1. Find fault

Unless you have footage of the accident, determining who or what caused the accident can be tricky. Sometimes even professionals such as policemen can't tell what caused the car accident. That's why you need to be careful there. There are a couple of methods of deciding whose fault was it. If there are no eyewitnesses or actual footage of the accident, it can be tricky to determine fault after the car accident. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that you mustn’t affect the process of determination in any way.

Conclusion

Being in a car accident can be an extremely stressful event. It can cause serious mental consequences. That’s why you need to be prepared to face every situation. Learn how to act in critical moments to avoid being traumatised by the happenings around you. If you notice that you're seriously affected by the accident, consider asking for professional help.