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More than 6 million car accidents take place on this country's roads every year. While accidents are quite common, not everyone knows what they should and shouldn't do afterward.

You need to educate yourself before an accident takes place so know what to do and when.

Find Out if Anyone is Hurt

One of the first things you need to do is to find out if anyone is hurt. Check yourself, your passengers, and anyone else involved in the accident. Injuries need to be dealt with as soon as possible. However, many people have a lot of adrenaline in their system straight after an accident. For this reason, you and your passengers, for example, may feel ok.

However, you could start to experience pain and discomfort once the adrenaline has worn off. This is why it always pays to get checked out. to hand. According to County Line Chiropractic, a Miami Gardens car accident clinic, "Any qualified chiropractor should be able to help you with any soft tissue injuries you've sustained. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries, so make sure you ask for help." 

Stay Away From Potential Danger

If you have not sustained any injuries and your accident was relatively minor, drive your vehicle to the side of the road. This will help to prevent it from disrupting the flow of traffic. Be sure to keep your hazard lights on and set up your emergency triangle, if you have one.

If the crash was severe, leave your vehicle where it is. If you have to get out of your car, be careful, especially if you're on a busy road.

Contact the Police

While the police will not attend every minor accident, they may attend more serious ones. Either way, it's always worth contacting the police. A police report is likely to be filled and it could be used as evidence at a later date.

If and when the police arrive, make a note of the police officer's name, badge number, and contact details. You should also ask for a copy of the accident report. 

Make a Note of What Happened

You need to make a note of what happened, and as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to forget some important details.

Take a look at your car, where is it damaged? Make a note and take photographs if you can. Check the road if it is safe to do so. Are there any skid marks on the road? Are there any traffic signs nearby? Take a photo of those.

You should also mention what happened immediately before the accident. Where were you driving? What were you doing? What was the other vehicle doing?

How was the weather? Were the road conditions ok? What time of day was it? Also, note down any injuries you have sustained and those of your passengers. All of this information could prove to be useful if you wish to make an insurance claim. 

Don't Talk About Who Was Responsible

Never talk about who was responsible, now is not the time. If you do discuss this matter it could affect your car insurance claim. If you were to admit fault, for example, the driver of the other vehicle could tell their insurance company this. Don't admit fault even if the accident was clearly your fault. Stay in your vehicle if it is safe to do so and only interact with the other driver if they are injured.

Call Your Insurance Company

Call your insurance company as soon as you can. They need to know about the accident so they can deal with your claim as soon as possible. It would, therefore, be a good idea for you to keep your insurance policy's number in your car. Also, keep the number of your insurance provider in your car and on your phone. This will allow you to contact them easily and start the claim process.

Get Checked Out By a Doctor

Get checked out by a doctor as soon as you can. It's likely that you have sustained some injuries which need to be treated. According to County Line Chiropractic the "use of patient-proven and non-surgical treatments" can help. Just make sure that you are seen by a doctor. Until your adrenaline has worn off you might not feel any pain. This does not mean there's nothing wrong, it just means you can't feel it.

Knowing what you need to do in the event of an accident can help you to make sense of what happened. Use the above tips to help you make a claim and get the medical help you need.