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A car accident can be a terrifying experience; it may cause trauma to the victim. It engulfs the senses and often induces panic. And when a person is in a panic, it makes it difficult for them to react in a wise fashion.
First and foremost, all passengers must be ensured safe. After this has been done, further steps must be made to keep each person out of any legal trouble they may undergo; it is important to be protected from further harm.
Certain actions should be taken promptly to prevent any situation from getting worse.
Stay Calm
There is a high likelihood that a person will be shocked, nervous and possibly even angry after a bad collision, but it is most important that a person remain calm and collected to stay off any unnecessary tension and discord.
Check Injuries
It is also a very important thing that a person involved in a car accident check themselves for any injuries they may have undergone.
If the person is safe, then other passengers should also be checked as well.
If someone is not in his or her right mind or has neck pain, then it is actually safer to leave that person alone, unless the rescue vehicle is hindered greatly by traffic.
Don’t leave; call the police
According to law, no one is allowed to leave a crash site. Otherwise, it is seen as a criminal act, and the offender will face the case whether that person partook in the accident or not.
Instead of running away from the scene, a witness should call the police. The same should not hang up the phone until the police have arrived, or they have been told to do so.
According to lawyer Alex R. Hernandez Jr., the witness should request for the police report, taking notes of badge numbers and officers present, so that making an insurance claim is much easier.
Ensure Safety
If possible, the driver should move the car to the side of the road so that oncoming traffic is not disturbed.
This will make the driver and car safe from further trouble. It will also help police and ambulances arrive easily to the accident spot.
If the car is unable to move without a tow truck, then all the passengers should evacuate the vehicle immediately, and move to a safe distance; being too close to traffic may indeed be hazardous.
Exchange Information
The drivers, passengers, and witnesses should exchange information with each other, in case of insurance claims or lawsuits.
Get the names, phone numbers and all necessary information from the people present. You have to be polite, but smart as well, because if you apologize for your mistake, then it will be accounted as admitting the mistake legally, which will cause problems later on.
After all the proceedings have been accomplished, you should go to your lawyer for further instruction.
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This content is sponsored by Jamshed Chaudhary.
Photo: Getty Images
Si te viste involucrado en un accidente de carro y necesitas un abogado en San Bernardino, ponte en contacto con nosotros cuanto antes. Somos Abogados de Accidentes Ahora, expertos en accidentes de auto en San Bernardino. Contamos con más de 16 años de experiencia acumulada en el campo de batalla, somos latinos como tú, dando la cara por la comunidad latina que somos.