Do you know what to do after you have been involved in a car accident, what information to collect, who to call, and how to handle the aftermath of the crash?

It is easy to be dismissive of this topic when you are not dealing with the shock and trauma of being hit by another vehicle. However, it is vital to ensure that you memorize what is required before the accident so that you automatically know what to do in the event of a crash.

Therefore, here are the five most important things (in no order of importance) that you need to do after a car crash:

Remain at the accident scene

It’s vital to stop the vehicle and remain at the accident scene even if the accident was minor and you can drive your car away. In fact, it is a criminal offence not to stay at the accident scene until the police have inspected the scene.

Get out your car and call for help

Once the car has come to a halt, check if you are able to get out of the vehicle. It’s important to exit the vehicle in case the petrol tank explodes and the car busts into flame. Once you are out of the car, the next important thing is to dial 911 to report the accident.

If you are trapped in the vehicle, then it will be necessary to wait to be rescued. If you are able to reach your mobile phone, then call for help. Otherwise, you can be sure that bystanders will report the accident on your behalf.

Move the vehicles off the road

If it is possible to move the damaged vehicles off the road, then do so once the scene has been documented. This will clear the road and allow for the normal flow of traffic again. If there have been fatalities or serious injuries, or the vehicles are too badly smashed up to move easily, then they will need to be left where they are until tow trucks can be called to remove them.

Hire a car accident attorney

A car accident attorney in Toledo is a legal expert who specializes in dealing with all the legal aspects surrounding a motor vehicle accident. If you manage this process yourself, you will need to do the following:

• Collect witness statements and photographs.
• Contact your insurance and report the accident.
• File a personal injury lawsuit against the legal entity that caused the accident.
• Report the accident to the police and deal with the consequences of the accident if you can possibly be found guilty of negligent and reckless driving.

Seek medical treatment

Even if you think you have not sustained any injuries in the accident, it is still important to see a doctor. The most common injury that occurs during a crash is whiplash even if the crash is nothing more than a fender-bender. There is still a good chance that you have whiplash as a consequence of the harsh braking.