It’s a known fact that whenever you set foot inside a vehicle, you’re putting your life at risk but the world we live in has made us so reliant upon cars that not having one isn’t very sustainable for most people. We need cars to do some of our most basic tasks. Going to work, the grocery store and doctor appointments have all made us dependent on the use of cars.

We’re all so dependent on cars but do you know the other thing we’re so dependent upon as well? It’s our cell phone. We have to know who’s doing what, who called, and who text, regardless of if we’re driving or not and that dependency on our phones is one of the top causes of car accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, by way of distracted driving.

One of the major advancements that have benefited those without cars is the creation of rideshare vehicles. Companies like Uber and lyft have been a transportation solution for lots of people, whether they don’t have a vehicle or because they don’t want to drink and drive (which is a very smart decision) but either way you look at it, every time you get inside a vehicle, you’re putting your life in danger.

What kind of driver are you?

The thing about safe driving is that you not only have to pay attention to your own driving habits but you also have to pay attention to the driving habits of other drivers. And a lot of the times, most car accidents are due to the recklessness of other drivers.

In the event that you are involved in a major car accident, you are of course scared, your heart is racing, and you’re in panic mode. This type of reaction is understandable but the steps you take immediately after an accident are extremely important to make sure that you are taken care of and protected. For those with motorcycles and in times of an accident you must get yourself in touch with a good motorcycle accident lawyer and find out the next possible steps to take. 

Call the Police

When you are involved in an accident, it’s extremely important that the first move you make is to call the police. Once the accident happens, you have to stay on the scene until emergency services arrive. When the police arrive, you will need to tell them what happened, they’ll investigate the scene, and from there, they will fill out a police report and present citations to the driver at fault. The reason it’s so important for you to stay on the scene after the accident is because the police report and citation will be used as evidence in your case if you move forward with legal action, especially if it’s an accident with serious injuries.

Accept Medical Attention

On the scene of all accidents, medical services will arrive just in case there are injuries from the accidents. If you’re involved in an accident with serious injuries you obviously will need medical attention but it is recommended to accept medical attention even if the accident wasn’t serious.

A lot of people don’t understand the seriousness of the after-effects of a car accident. Meaning that although you might not physically see or feel any pain or injuries, that pain might come a few days after the initial accident. You don’t want to wait too long because waiting can make it hard to prove that the injuries and symptoms you experience from the accident are actually from the accident.

Gather Contact Information

Once you’ve been in a car accident, it’s very important to gather information from the other driver, especially when they’re at fault. The most important information to take down from the other driver include:

• Driver’s license number (take a picture of it)
• Insurance information
• License plate number
• Pictures of damages to both vehicles (take pictures at different angles to be more detailed)
• Pictures of damages to yourself (if you’re able to)

Keep Track of All Record

One of the other big pieces to help your case when pursuing legal action is to not only keep track of the information you collected at the scene of the accident but to also keep track of all bills you incurred from the accident to make sure you’re covered financially. The records you need to keep track of include medical bills, prescriptions, car repairs, and any type of out of pocket expenses that are in direct relation to the car accident.

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’ve suffered serious injuries from a car accident, you need to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney. Most firms offer free consultations so there will be no upfront costs to you for speaking to someone. This is something you don’t want to skip out on even if you do feel like you’re not seriously injured… it’s the only way for you to have your rights protected and be compensated for the losses you’ve suffered.