Many people don't think of what they need to do when involved in a car accident until after it happens. Having a plan in place will help you avoid making a major mistake that could lead to another accident or causing problems with someone injured in an accident. Here is a quick list of things you need to do if you have just been involved in a car accident.

If There Are Injuries Do Not Attempt To Move The Person

When someone is injured in a car accident, you do not know the severity of the injuries—attempting to move them is not advisable. There is the potential for the injury to be something serious like a spinal or head injury and moving them could further complicate the injury.

If someone is injured tell them to stay put and immediately dial an ambulance followed by the police. The paramedics will be able to arrive on the scene and decide if the injured person should be moved, and they know the proper procedure for moving them safely. Calling the police is also advisable as they can secure the area and direct traffic to help avoid further accidents from oncoming traffic.

Get the Vehicle Towed, Don't Drive It

A common mistake made by people involve in a car accident is that they assume there is no mechanical damage done and drive the car after the accident. When involved in a crash it is impossible to know what damage has been done and there is a possibly that serious damage has been done to the engine, steering or brakes of the vehicle.

Driving the car could potentially leave you open to mechanical failure while operating the vehicle, which could cause another crash. The last thing you need is to start driving away from the scene of one accident to realize that the brakes don't work and you cannot stop, or that the steering column has been broken and you cannot steer out of the way of a someone walking on the street.

Any vehicle that has been involved in an accident should be towed to a local mechanic like Walker Crash Repairs where it can be inspected and assessed for damages before it is driven.

Put on the Hazard Lights to Alert Others of the Accident

If you have avoided serious injury in the accident and you are able to turn on the hazard light of both vehicles it will help alert other drivers to go around. The hazard lights can be seen from afar and will let them know that something is wrong. Once the hazard lights are turned on all people inside the car should move to safety off the road and wait for either police or help to arrive. Do not stand around on the road after an accident, especially if it's dark outside as other drivers may not be able to see you and could potentially hit you while driving by.

Following the tips outlined above will help you avoid another major problem.

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