What to do after a car accident when it’s not your fault

Getting into a car accident is an unfortunate risk that all Washington drivers assume when getting behind the wheel of a car. All drivers must know what to do after an accident.

What to do immediately after the accident

Regardless of the severity of the accident, you’ll want to take a few seconds to assess the damage and breathe. Ensure that you’re not injured before even getting out of the car.

If anyone’s injured – from either car – call 911 immediately. You also might want to call the police if there’s a lot of damage to the vehicle, even if no one has been injured. You’ll need to file a report.

Getting things ready for insurance

You’ll want to exchange information with the other driver as soon as possible. You’ll need their insurance information as well as their contact information. If there was anyone around to witness the accident, you might want to get their contact information as well.

After that, you’ll need to take photos of the damage to your car. It’s crucial to document the damage as soon as you can before the vehicle has left your sight. If the other driver consents, you’ll also want to take pictures of their car.

What not to do after an accident

Car accidents are incredibly stressful, and there can be a lot of anger if you know it’s not your fault. You want to make sure that the other driver is cooperative, and avoid throwing accusations.

It can be hard not to get angry and yell. If needed, your car insurance will assign fault – or you could file a legal claim. Either way, the scene of the accident isn’t the place to get angry.