As a Florida driver, you likely know the importance of safe driving. However, even the safest drivers can find themselves involved in an accident, sometimes as a result of encountering a negligent driver. There are certain steps you can take if this happens to you, which can help you both from a safety perspective as well as when filing the subsequent injury claim. State Farm offers the following advice to help you make the right decisions in the aftermath of an accident.
Contact the Authorities
If there are serious injuries, the first step is to contact emergency medical personnel right away. Even if there are no injuries or they are relatively minor, you should still call for law enforcement so that a police officer can come to the scene and make a report of what occurred. This report can be extremely useful when filing an accident claim, as it will serve as an unbiased version of events.
Get Your Vehicle to a Safe Place
Once you’ve contacted the authorities, the next step should be to move your vehicle to a safe place. If you’re unable to do so, be sure to put on your hazard lights and exit your vehicle in a safe manner. If you have flares, set them up a good distance from the vehicle while you wait for help. This will alert other drivers and prevent them from striking your vehicle.
Gather Contact Information
You’ll need to get the contact information for any other motorists involved in the accident. This information will be required by your insurance company when making a claim. Additionally, you’ll also need to take down the information of any witnesses at the scene. This can be helpful if your claim is taken to court. You can also request the information of law enforcement, which will allow you to get a copy of the police report.