Vacations should be experiences that we remember for years to come, but sometimes things do not go as planned. If you are planning on driving while on vacation and an accident happens, it may derail the whole trip, but it does not have to ruin your vacation memories.
Accidents happen and whether you are driving your own car or renting a car, being in an unfamiliar area and getting in a car crash can feel scary and overwhelming. If this is something that you worry about or something that has happened to you recently, read below to find out exactly how to maintain control of the situation and get out of it safe and sound.
Check for Injuries
Immediately after a crash, the first thing you should do is check yourself and any other passengers for injuries. If anyone is seriously injured or not, you should call the local emergency services as quickly as possible to get everyone professionally assessed.
Once you have a good idea of the degree of injuries to yourself, your fellow passengers, and the people in the other car if there was another vehicle involved, try to make note of them just in case that information is needed later on.
In addition to checking that everyone is safe, make sure that everyone gets out of the vehicle and moves to a safe location. This may be off to the side of the road or down a side street. It all depends on the state of the vehicles. If the vehicles have minimal damage, it is best to pull them over to the side of the road and out of the road before everyone gets out in order to avoid any other collisions and to keep the road clear. If the vehicles do have significant damage, then it is best practice to move a safe distance away from them in case there is a chance of an explosion.
Have Documentation Ready
This step is important in any circumstance, especially if you are driving a rental car. Make sure that your driver’s license is easily accessible and that any insurance paperwork through the rental car company is either pulled up on your phone or physically close to you. This is one of the first things the local police will likely ask for when they arrive after they have checked that everyone is safe. Any other documentation including passports, medical cards, or insurance cards may also be asked for at the moment, so it is important to always have those with you whenever you are driving in an unfamiliar place.
Document Everything
Once the accident has occurred, it is important that someone is recording all that happened. This means that everyone should be taking a lot of photos of the vehicles involved, any damage to the interior or exterior, injuries, and the surrounding area. The more documentation you have, the more information the insurance companies will have. This is especially important if the accident was not your fault.
You need to have as much proof as possible that you were in the right if you want adequate compensation. If you are unclear about exactly what should be documented, you can read the information provided by the car accident attorneys in Manchester, NH who deal with these types of accidents all the time and know what needs to be done to make a good case.
The best rule of thumb is that there are never too many photos. If you see something that you suspect will help the insurance company or help you if you have to go to court, then take a picture of it.
Collect Contact Information
Car crashes can be intense and if this collision happens with another vehicle, you never know who you’re going to be dealing with. This can be an added stress if you are on vacation somewhere where you do not speak the local language.
After everyone checks that they are safe, try to convey to the other driver that you are willing to swap information. This is a must, but sometimes people are hesitant to offer their own information, especially if they do not have insurance or they believe they were at fault.
If you have any issues with this, the best thing you can do is wait until the authorities arrive and they will collect the appropriate information from all parties involved. This contact information is important for insurance purposes and for if the case goes to court.
Contact Your Rental Car Company
If you happen to have been driving a rental car while on vacation, then the rental car company must be informed immediately about the crash. Luckily, all reputable rental car companies have insurance requirements when you rent a car, so you will likely be covered.
As soon as you contact the company, they may offer you a few options including sending a towing company or sending you a new rental car. After that, a representative may come to assess the damage for their insurance purposes.
Do Not Admit Fault
Although it feels only appropriate to say, “I’m sorry” when something like this happens, it is important that you do not say anything that may indicate that the accident was your fault.
This is because other parties involved may be recording or may take note that you seemed remorseful and that can backfire for you later on during legal proceedings. The best thing you can do is just check that everyone is ok and focus on taking lots of photos of the scene.
Research Local Laws
This step is something you should do even before you go on vacation just in case something like this happens to you. No matter where you go on vacation, if you are planning on driving in a new place, you should be familiar with the local driving laws so that you can avoid making driving mistakes. This is a preventative measure that could help in the unlikely case that a car accident occurs.
Car crashes are one of the casualties of the modern world that we all think about and fear, but they should not be something that scares you from going on vacation. If you follow the steps above and practice safe driving, you will hopefully never have to use them, but if you do, remember to be safe and mindful during the whole process.
