Uh Oh! The unspeakable happened and you’ve got in a fender-bender? Don’t fear! Follow our tips on things to know after a car accident to make sure you are doing the right things, even when you may be panicked.

Make Sure Everyone is Safe
Be sure you start looking for insurance information or calling your spouse, make sure everyone is ok. This means you too! Ensure your are not bleeding and everything feels right, remember the adrenaline of an accident can sometimes mask your pain. Next, check the condition of everyone else involved in the accident. Remember you aren’t their doctor or personal injury lawyers so you are just checking to make sure they are not in need of urgent care. If they are, phone for emergency help immediately. Once everyone is safe and secure, you need to ensure your cars are in a safe place. If it is a minor fender-bender, pull to the side of the road. If it is a more major accident use flares and cones if you have them, also turn on emergency flashers is possible, or phone authorities and they will handle it.

Exchange Information
Be sure to exchange as much information as possible. This means document the name, address, and license plate numbers of anyone involved. Also, record the details about the accident in case they become hazy in the future. It is not uncommon to forget details of dramatic experiences. You will also want to get the contact information for the other partner’s insurance agency, and give them yours as well. Once you have exchanged information, phone your own insurance company. Your insurance company will advise you on what steps to take. There may be something you are forgetting to do or a special request from the insurance company, remember that the insurance company likely has many loopholes to avoid paying for damages so follow their instructions to the “T.” You will likely need to call the police to get statements for insurance company.

Double Check Everything
What is happening around the car accident will soon be cleaned up, people will leave, and life will go on. That is why you need to ensure you have all the information you need. Make sure you have written down all the relevant details, you have the contact and insurance information of all parties and most importantly make sure you are feeling okay. Even if you feel fine at the moment, it may be a good idea to see a doctor, so you have documentation just in case you have problems in the future. You may also want to talk to a few witnesses who saw the accident, to make what they saw matches with what you remember, you can write down their contact information as well.

So remember, first thing ensure everyone is safe and call ambulance if needed. Then if possible, move cars to the shoulder before beginning to exchange information. Remember you shouldn’t be concerned with who (or what) is at fault at this time, just be safe and record the details. We hope this article things to know after a car accident helped you out in this stressful time!