What You Should Do After a Car Accident
Car accidents occur tens of thousands of times a day across the country. Thankfully, most of these are minor fender-benders. However, in the event that you’re in a more serious collision, it’s important to know what to do at the scene, and what you might need in terms of Mazda service.
See if Anyone is Hurt
Take it from Peruzzi Mazda: even a small collision can cause injuries. The first thing you should do if you’re involved in an accident is to check and see if anyone is hurt. If someone requires medical assistance, call 911 right away.
This is the biggest reason why you should never leave the scene of an accident, especially because some collision-related injuries don’t manifest until a week or two afterwards.
Get Yourself and Your Car Out of Danger
If the accident was minor and no one in your car is injured, pull over to the shoulder so you’re not blocking traffic.
Of course, this also makes it easier for police and medical to reach the scene. Don’t forget to turn on the hazard lights of your sedan or Mazda SUV. If on the other hand your car isn’t drivable and/or someone is hurt, stay exactly where you are until help arrives.
Call the Police
When you call the police, note that depending on the seriousness of the accident, whether anyone is hurt, and where you are, it’s possible that they may not send someone to the scene. Instead, they’ll direct all parties to fill out an online report.
Either way, it’s important to confirm the responding officer’s contact information and to obtain a copy of the accident report. Contact your insurance company too. Once you schedule a service appointment with us for repairs and new Mazda parts, we’ll take over as the primary contact for your insurance.
Collect Information
A final tip from our nearby Mazda dealers: write down all of the information you can about each car involved in the accident: make and model, color, license plate number, and vehicle identification (VIN) number. All of this info should be on the accident report, but it’s good to have backup. Also, get each person’s insurance information and remember to never share your Social Security number or the coverage limits on your insurance policy. Just the basics.
If you find yourself in need of expert service and Mazda parts after your accident, give the team at our Mazda service center a call. Contact us today!