It is hard to make a rational decision when you feel panicked and shaken up, which is naturally how most people feel following a major motor vehicle collision. Drivers in Texas often panic and do something unnecessary or simply go with the flow and fail to properly protect themselves immediately after a collision.
If you have a firm plan in mind or how to handle the immediate fallout of a car wreck, you will make better choices when you unexpectedly experience a car crash. What steps should people take after a traffic collision?
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Exit the vehicle if possible
Calling for police and possibly medical support should also be one of the first steps you take after the crash. Then, you can try to help yourself and the other driver while you wait.
Whenever possible, those who can’t exit their vehicles should do so to check their surroundings for safety and reduce the potential of secondary injury in a follow-up crash if a driver were to strike the disabled vehicles.
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Record the scene
You will need to capture as much as you can from the scene of the wreck if possible. If your phone did not suffer major damage in the crash, video footage and possibly some still photos can help you show where your vehicles were in relation to one another and nearby landmarks, which could be important later.
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Move the vehicles
Whenever possible, those who have already documented the position of the vehicles and their overall condition should attempt to move their vehicles to the shoulder of the road or elsewhere to allow traffic to move around the vehicles involved in the crash while the drivers wait for first responders.
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Exchange information with the other driver
You will need the other driver’s vehicle and license information, as well as the details about their insurance coverage. That information will help you with the police report and also with your future insurance claim.
When police officers arrive, tell them truthfully what happened, and do not let sympathy for the other driver coerce you into leaving out key details, like the fact that they had their phone in their hand at the time of the crash.
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Seek medical evaluation
If you have noticeable injuries, if the crash caused major damage to your vehicle or if you lost consciousness during the collision, it will likely be in your best interest to see a medical professional for careful evaluation. You could have internal injuries that are not immediately obvious and which could threaten your life if left untreated.
Eventually, after you have determined your medical prognosis and the state of your vehicle, you will need to file an insurance claim or possibly even look into a lawsuit against the other driver who was at fault for the wreck. Taking the right steps immediately after a motor vehicle collision will make it easier for someone to get compensation for their losses.