When a car accident occurs, the individuals involved often feel too shocked and terrified to think clearly. Even if it's only a fender bender, you may become frustrated with the situation and act wrongly– especially when you haven't previously learned what to do in such cases.

Educating yourself ahead of time about what to do in a car crash makes you more likely to manage your emotions well and take the right actions. Doing what's right will help you receive timely medical aid, protect yourself and your passengers, and get the compensation you deserve.

Here's what you should do when involved in a car accident.

1. Stop and Check For Injuries

Regardless of how minor you think the accident is, the first step is to stop your vehicle and check yourself for injuries. If you're injured, call for emergency treatment immediately. Don't undermine your injuries, as you may not know how deep things are. Some seemingly minor injuries may linger for weeks or months if not treated properly and can cause severe pain.

If you're uninjured, check on your passengers and call for emergency treatment if anyone is injured. You may need to ask a bystander to help you out if you cannot contact the emergency department yourself.

2. Move To Somewhere Safe

While waiting for medical aid, move to a safe side of the road to avoid complicating situations. You also want to take your car out of danger to avoid impeding traffic. But if you can't, leave your vehicle there and get yourself to safety. Make sure to turn the vehicle's hazard lights on to alert other road users.

3. Call The Police

After getting yourself to safety, the next thing to do is to call the police. Depending on your circumstance, you may call the police on 999 or 101. Call 999:

●       If the accident is severe and is blocking the road

●       If the other driver leaves without exchanging their contact details

●       If the other driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol

●       If you suspect a "crash for cash" scam– a situation whereby a driver intentionally causes an accident to gain money from fraudulent insurance claims

●       If the at-fault driver doesn't have insurance

Otherwise, you may call the police on 101. If by any chance you do not call the police to the scene, report to a police station within 24 hours to avoid getting fined.

When the police arrive, ensure you note the officer's name, contact details, and badge number and get your copy of the accident report.

4. Contact a car accident attorney

You need an experienced car accident attorney to defend you and help you get your deserved compensation. Experienced and successful legal practitioners like car accident attorneys at Rodriguez Law Firm assist victims in claiming their rights.

Reaching out to a car accident lawyer can help you determine what legal steps to take to avoid jeopardizing things. The insurance company representing the offending driver will be there to possibly undermine the accident's severity, causing you to get very little compensation. As a result, you need to contact a car accident attorney to help you receive your full compensation.

5. Document The Scene

Documenting the scene is one of the most important things you can do when an accident occurs. Doing so will help you to preserve the evidence and escape any untrue claims by the at-fault driver.

Take pictures (and videos if possible) of the scene while ensuring key information like the damages for both cars are snapped clearly (a blurry image will not be very helpful). Also, record information such as the name, address, phone number and driver's license number of individuals involved in the accident.

Vehicle information like year, make, model, colour, and vehicle identification number are also crucial. If you can't document the scene yourself, ask someone else to help you out.

Finally, avoid roadside conversations about the accident and who's responsible for what. You don't want to utter statements that may eventually be used against you.