Coping with a minor crash or accident

If you're involved in a minor car crash or impact, it's likely to be a traumatic experience. It's easy to say 'don't panic' but it is important to try and keep a clear head and remember the correct procedures you should follow to help ensure you cover all the basics when it comes to safety, as well as what you'll need to make a claim. We guide you through coping with an accident and the things you should remember to do whilst still at the scene.

Stay safe
However minor you may think an accident might be, you are legally obliged to stop. If anyone is injured, you must call the police (and an ambulance, if necessary), and the police must also be informed if a car is blocking the road or a junction. Pull over to the side of the road or out of the flow of traffic if possible, turn off your engine, and turn on your hazard lights.

If the accident is more serious, and you need to call emergency services, give as much detail as you can about the incident’s location, and the number of any casualties. Do not attempt to move any injured people from their vehicles, unless they appear to be in immediate danger where they are. Do not remove a motorcyclist’s helmet unless it appears essential to do so. ‘Walking wounded’ should move away from the road and wait for help in a safe place.

Be careful when leaving your car – especially if you're on a busy or fast-moving road – and if you have a fluorescent jacket or high-visibility vest, wear it. In some European countries, it is a legal requirement to carry a luminous garment in your car, just in case. Do not smoke, however stressed you may feel, as petrol fumes might be leaking from any of the cars involved.

Taking notes
The incident should be reported to the police within 24 hours. If the other driver involved refuses to leave their details, take a note of their registration number and call the police right away. Do not apologise or admit liability, especially if it is not clear whose fault the incident was. This point could prove very important when it comes to making an insurance claim.

You are obliged to give your name and address – and those of the owner of the vehicle you’re driving, if it’s not yours – to anyone "having reasonable grounds for requiring them", according to the Highway Code. Alternatively, if you do not feel safe doing this, you can supply this information to the police, but you must do this within 24 hours of the incident. If you have hit a parked car, you should leave your contact details in a note for the owner.

Make a note of the details of the other drivers and people involved: names, contact phone numbers, addresses, car registrations, makes and models, number of passengers and, if possible, the name of their insurance companies. Take contact details of any witnesses at the scene, and sketch out a quick diagram showing the position of the cars – you will need to do this on an insurance claim form.

Take note of the weather conditions, and any other factors which may have contributed, such as oil or debris on the road, or an obstacle obscuring the view ahead. If possible, photograph the scene and any damage to the cars involved – even a quick snap on your phone could help in the event of an insurance claim.

A matter of policy
Inform your insurer as soon as you can, giving as much detail about the incident as possible. If another driver is involved in the crash, is at fault but is uninsured, some car insurance policies may also provide cover for an incident with an uninsured driver.

Your insurer will want to assess the damage to your car before deciding on its repair. Whether the accident was your fault or some else's, your insurance policy may include the use of a courtesy car while yours is being repaired.

Make sure your insurance cover is adequate for your needs – would you be seriously inconvenienced without a car, or one which was not a like-for-like model? For many of us, the sign of a good comprehensive policy will be one that supports you to stay on the road until your own car is repaired.

Issued by Sainsbury's Finance

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