If you find yourself in the middle of a car accident, it can understandably shake you up, especially if it was a major collision. But as soon as you can, try your very hardest to compose yourself and stay calm.
The last thing you’d want to do is to act out and panic in an already dire situation, especially if your kids and spouse are around. While it’s totally normal to feel nervous, calmness and rationality are essential to ensure that you can handle this situation responsibly.
Assuming that you’re consciously aware of your actions, the next thing to do is figure out the next steps. Accept the fact that the accident has already happened; the follow-up consequences are unavoidable at this point, unfortunately.
So if you want to ensure that you can manage the next stages easily and smoothly, then read on. We’ll break down all you need to know to respond to a car accident in Australia involving your family calmly and smoothly.
Let’s get right into it.
The first thing you should do when you find yourself in the middle of a car accident is to check up on your safety and the safety of all the passengers on board. Make sure to confirm that all the passengers are conscious and unhurt. Call each passenger by their name and individually ask them if they’re okay and can move.
Your passengers may panic or be in a frenzy. It’s important to calm their nerves and get them to safety. You can do this by showing that you yourself feel calm and in a good mental state. Try getting them to focus on their breathing. Make sure that the accident isn’t also going to spiral into anything worse over time.
If your passengers are all mobile and uninjured, get them to safety as quickly as possible. However, if passengers are experiencing problems in their neck, back, or head, preventing them from moving, then let the paramedics handle it and keep them as comfortable and still as possible.
The next thing you should do is to make sure that the scene is safe—not just for you, but for everyone else on the road. You can start by turning on hazard lights and setting up blockades to give incoming traffic some time to react to the accident scene.
Furthermore, if your passengers are able to move, bring them out of the vehicle and onto the side of the road. Ensure that they’re not near potential hazards like a downed electricity line or a car leaking fuel.
You should also stay off the road and avoid standing between vehicles. If the accident has caused some of your belongings to fall to the road, then clean them off and move them out of danger. If the item is too heavy, then leave it and just wait for help to arrive.
If someone’s injured, trapped, or unresponsive, then prioritise calling for help. This number is 000 in Australia, but it can differ from country to country, so familiarise yourself with your local emergency number as soon as now.
A person suffering from acute injuries is a major dilemma, but it isn’t the only reason you should call this number. If the vehicle is leaking fuel, blocking the road, or if affected individuals are experiencing severe road rage, then those instances are also grounds for calling emergency services.
Depending on how far you are from the city, you could be waiting from anywhere between a minute to an hour for help to arrive. If someone’s experiencing pain and needs first-aid, tell that to the emergency helpline immediately so that they can instruct you on what you can do to assist the affected person(s).
You can also read Westpac’s accident guide for more information on the matter.
If the car accident involves a third party, then you should collect their information once you’ve confirmed that everyone is safe and the road is no longer a hazard for other drivers.
The information you should get is their names, licenses, plate numbers, phone numbers, and home addresses. You should also try to get their insurance policy number to streamline the insurance claiming process. This helps keep you in contact with them as you process everything after the incident.
If there are witnesses, then note down their personal contact details as well. These details help you get in touch with unbiased third parties, which can help you build a case in the event that this accident is escalated into a lawsuit or courtroom case.
As you try to get your bearings about the entire incident, it’s a good idea to take photos and videos of the scene, particularly the parts of your vehicle that are damaged. This makes it easier for your insurer to understand what happened, which thus speeds up the claims process.
You can start by taking a shot of the overall scene from various angles. Then, you can take close-up shots of dents, scratches, or damage to your vehicle. You should also take a picture of the other party’s vehicle or objects that may have played a role in the crash.
The more details you add, the easier it will be for your insurer to piece together the puzzle of your case. And if the accident is truly not your fault, then you’ll have a better chance of getting a successful insurance claim.
Once you’ve gathered details from other parties and taken pictures, you can contact your insurer about the matter. This can be done at the scene of the incident, provided that everyone is safe and accounted for.
Use the car insurer’s hotline to ensure that someone’s on the line immediately. Give them a clear overview of what has occurred, and provide clear information about the incident. Send photos and details to them through their preferred channels, and clarify how to proceed with the claiming process.
After lodging your claim, your insurer will guide you through the repair process. If not, then you’ll still have to do this process yourself to bring your vehicle back into shape.
Depending on your policy, you may need to visit an approved repairer, or you might have the freedom to choose your own. In any case, get a repair assessment or quote before any work begins. Keep the receipts, too, as they may be reimbursable depending on your policy’s inclusion.
Car accidents can be traumatising for your family, especially for young kids who have been injured or have witnessed the event unfold helplessly. They may not act too severely during the incident itself, but they could experience signs of shock or stress days afterwards.
In such events, be sure to be there for your kid and allow them to talk about what happened. Reassure them that everything is alright now and that there’s no need to worry.
That said, if there are lingering physical injuries like stiffness or headaches, then don’t hesitate to contact emergency services or head to the hospital to have these symptoms medically examined. This also applies to you—if you feel shaken up, then take a break from driving and watch over your wellbeing.
By being patient with yourself and your family, you can bounce back from this traumatising event and get back into living a healthy and happy life like you used to. We wish you all the best in recovering after the incident. Stay safe!
