Fender bender do’s and don’ts

There are some events that happen in life that make you wish you knew what to do before they happened. But like many things in life including this pandemic, we don’t often know until we need to know. Getting in a fender bender certainly isn’t something anyone plans for, but chances are that we will all have one (or a few more) in our lifetime. Here are some do’s and don’ts for when (hopefully not) that occasion occurs.  

Are you okay?

First of all, make sure that you and your passengers are okay! Take a few deep breaths and relax. Check to make sure that your neck and head aren’t injured. If you think that someone was injured by the impact, do not get out of your car, call 911, and await their arrival.

Call 911

Regardless of the severity of the fender bender, call 911. The police will come out to the scene to collect information. Even if it happened at a slow speed in a parking lot, call the police to get the incident on record. Also, get the name of the officer and case number before he/she leaves.

Get info

Make sure to get the other driver’s pertinent information including their phone number and insurance. Even if you are the one at fault, you will need to have that information. And, if there are any witnesses, ask them if they would be willing to give you their contact info!

Be thorough

Take as many pictures of the scene as possible. Make sure to take photos of your car and the other driver’s car. Get pictures from a number of angles. Take pictures of the license plate, make and model of the other car(s) in the incident. Be sure to snap some shots of the scene itself. Get a broad shot of the whole area for future reference. Include the street names in the photo if you can. When you get home, jot down everything that you remember. Memory fades quite quickly, so don’t wait! 

Call your insurance

Report the accident promptly to your insurance company if your car or their car has damage. If you are taking the car in for an estimate, let them know what body shop you will be using. In some states, it is also necessary (especially if there are injuries) to report the accident to the DMV.

COVID Considerations

During this COVID pandemic, continue to keep 6 feet of distance! Lay your id and insurance card on the hood of your car while they take down the information. Take a picture of their information after they have moved away. Make sure to not touch you face and then disinfect everything you may have touched while exchanging information. 

Go to the body shop

Find a body shop that you trust. Look at reviews... talk to your family and friends for trusted recommendations. Remember, you can go to ANY body shop you choose, you do NOT have to go to the shop recommended by your insurance company.

Nothing can fully prepare you for unfortunate situations but having the basics can really help mitigate mistakes. Stay safe and be healthy from your friends at Auto Collision Specialists.