What to Do After a Car Accident

Any type of car accident can be a frightening experience, especially when it comes to what you should do next. Learn more about what to do after a car accident with the team at Tulley Mazda so you know how to file a car insurance claim, a car accident claim, and even who to call first. And should you be in need of vehicle repair, schedule service at the Tulley Mazdaservice center.

What to Do After a Car Accident Checklist

Steps to Take Following Minor Accidents

No matter if it’s a major or minor accident, there are a few precautions you’ll want to take. These are some of the steps you’ll want to follow if you’re ever in a minor accident:

1. The first thing you should do is check to see if you are injured or need medical attention. If you are fine, check to see if other passengers are injured. If they are injured, you should call an ambulance.
2. If you are able to, you should try to pull your vehicle off to the side of the road so you’re not blocking traffic. 
3. After you have gotten your car to a safe spot, you should call the police, even if the other driver or drivers involved tell you not to. It’s important to have official documentation of what happened, and most insurance companies will require a police report of the accident. 
4. While you are waiting for the police to arrive, you should exchange the proper information with the other driver. This includes phone numbers, email addresses, insurance cards, license plate numbers, and a photo of everyone’s driver’s licenses. 
5. After exchanging all of the proper information, you should assess the damage to your vehicle, as well as the other driver’s damage to their vehicle. Take some photos of both vehicles and, if you can, the area where the accident occurred. 
6. The final thing you should do is call your insurance provider. Even though they will receive a police report of the accident, it’s important you give them the details sooner rather than later. 

Steps to Take Following Major Accidents

Should you ever find yourself a part of a major accident, you should know the steps to take. There are a few different steps to take than if you were in a minor accident. Here is what you’ll want to do in the event of a major accident:

1. The first thing you will want to do is to call 911 for an ambulance right away. Don’t worry about documenting the accident scene if you or another person needs serious medical attention. 911 will send an ambulance with police who will document the scene and gather information. 
2. The next step you should take is to contact your insurance provider. Knowing how to file a car insurance claim is an overlooked post-accident process. You should describe all the details to your insurance provider, so they can properly assess what you may be owed. 
3. Once everything has been documented and taken care of, you should follow up with your physician even if you aren’t feeling any noticeable pain in your body. 

Filing a Car Accident Insurance Claim

Though you won’t need to do this first thing, it’s important to know how to file a car insurance claim. As long as you have all the correct paperwork for your insurance provider, it’ll be a breeze. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Your insurance policy number
• A detailed description of how the accident occurred
• Date, time, and location of the accident
• All the collected contact and insurance information from other involved parties
• Name of the police department involved, as well as the police report number (if applicable)

Once you submit the correct paperwork, your vehicle will be evaluated by an insurance adjuster who will help estimate the cost of repairs needed, the coverage on them, and more. If the pictures of the damage and details of the police report aren’t sufficient, you may need to physically bring your vehicle in to be inspected. After your vehicle is assessed, you’ll receive an estimate on the cost of repairs, coverage, and more. Should you be in need of a new vehicle altogether, check out our online inventory and save more on a new Mazda.

Learn More Safe Driving Tips with Tulley Mazda

No matter if you’re ready to get behind the wheel of a new model using our new vehicle specials or you’re interested in learning more service tips, contact the team at Tulley Mazda. We have plenty of advice to give, and our collision center can offer assistance!