What do you do if you have a car accident?

Should the worst occur, it’s best to involve the experts to help sort things out.

Would you, however, know what to do at the earliest stage? Would you know...

•The information you should collect from the scene of the car accident

•How to claim on your car insurance after an accident

•When you should involve the police

Immediately after a traffic accident:

However minor you think a car accident is, you must stop. In fact, failing to do so is an offence under the Road Traffic Act.

You should make sure your car’s engine is switched off and then turn your hazard lights on to alert other road users.

Take a look around and if anyone has been injured in the car accident, you should call the police (and an ambulance, if necessary) as soon as possible. The police should also be called if the car accident is blocking the road.

After a car accident, collect as many details as possible

If possible, you should collect the following information from any drivers, passengers and witnesses:

•names

•addresses

•contact numbers.

Ask the other drivers involved for their car insurance details, and try to establish whether they are the registered keeper of their vehicle. If they aren’t, find out who is and make a note of their name and address.

If possible, it’s also advisable to note:

•the registration numbers of all vehicles involved, plus a note of each vehicle’s colour, make and model

•the time and date of the crash

•a sketch showing the positions of vehicles involved

•a description of the weather conditions, plus anything unusual you notice about the road quality or lighting

•a list of damage to vehicles, and a description of any injuries sustained by pedestrians, drivers and passengers.

•If possible, take some pictures of the car accident

You should also stop and give your details if you crash into something on or near the road, even if there aren’t any other people involved. If you hit a parked car, for example, you should leave your details on the windscreen.

Car accidents should be reported to the police within 24 hours. Failure to do so could result in a fine, penalty points or even disqualification.

Making an insurance claim after a car accident:

Make sure you tell your insurer about the car accident as soon as you can. Failure to do so within the time period set out in your policy may invalidate your cover – leaving you with a big bill to pay. Always inform your car insurance company about the accident – even if you don’t want to make a claim.