Things To Do When You’re Involved In An Accident
Even with diligent and cautious driving practices, there remains the risk of being involved in a car accident. In such an unfortunate event, it is totally natural to feel a sense of panic as you consider the necessary steps.
You can mitigate further complications by following the appropriate actions after an accident has occurred. Here are some key steps we recommend if you ever find yourself involved in a car accident:
1. Keep Calm & Check Yourself for Any Injuries
Firstly, take a deep long breath to calm yourself down and assess the situation inside your car. Check out for any injuries primarily on yourself and your passenger(s). Key of staying calm will help you make clear, rational and concise decisions.
2. Move Your Car to a Safe Location And Turn On Your Hazard Light
If your car is still drivable and the damage is somewhat minor, turn on your hazard lights and move your car to the road shoulder or onto the emergency lane. This is to avoid causing further blockades to other road users which in-turn could cause an unwanted traffic jam or worse yet - another accident impending to happen.
3. Check Your Car's Exterior
Once you are safe, get out of your car and check on the other parties involved. If anyone is seriously injured, call the emergency services immediately. Then, take a walk around your car to assess the damage - to have a clearer picture.
4. Take Pictures & Exchange Contact Information
Take pictures of the damages of your car as proof. Additionally, photograph the location of the accident scene and tire marks on the road altogether IF possible. These images can protect you if you're wrongly blamed for the accident. Always remember, safety first. Record the details of the other driver and their vehicle, including:
Car number plate
Car make, model and color
Driver's name, address, and phone number
Driver's identification card number and driver's licence number
Witness name, address, and phone number
5. Agreement with Involved Parties
Depending on the extent of the accident, you may sometimes be able to settle the matter directly with the other party, exceptionally if the damage is minor. In many cases, drivers prefer to pay for the damages caused without involving the police and the insurance company.
However, be aware that if your repair costs are below a certain threshold, you might not be able to make an insurance claim. If the damage is severe, you should definitely file for a police report.
5. Make a Police Report
Most importantly, a police report must be filed within 24 hours of the accident to ensure that the report is valid. The report must be done within the police jurisdiction of the accident scene. As an example, if the accident happens in Bangsar, KL, file the report at the Bangsar police station. Don't forget to bring along your driver's licence and identification card.
The officer on duty at the police station will record all the details of the accident and also your personal details. Then after the investigation is done, the police officer will conclude who is responsible for the accident and will issue a summon. The suit must be paid within a month.
6. Insurance Claims
Contact your insurance agent or the customer helpline as soon as possible if you need to make an insurance claim. If you are at fault and the damage is minor, you might want to consider not making a claim to avoid affecting your annual No-Claim Discount (NCD).
Your insurer will ask questions about the accident and can arrange for a tow truck to take your car to the nearest workshop panel appointed by the insurance company. If you don't send your car to a designated workshop, you won't be able to make the claim for the damage.
A loss adjuster will assess the damage and determine responsibility for the accident. Once a decision is made, you will be informed of the amount you can claim. Claims can be made through your insurance company or the other party's insurance company.
Of greatest importance, to make an insurance claim, you must send your car to a panel workshop approved by your insurance company only, or otherwise your claim may be denied.
7. Practice safe driving
Driving safely is an absolute essential on the road. While accidents that are beyond our control can happen anytime and anywhere, driving responsibly helps you avoid being the cause of the incident. Causing a loss of life is definitely one thing you would not want to regret upon.
Stay tuned at PilihCAR for more updates.
