How To Deal With On-the-Road Emergencies

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You set off for your holiday, you have the children in the car, you have battled with luggage, brought
snacks and you have sorted out your car insurance so you are ready to go. All you are worried about
are those easily forgotten items, have I packed the toothbrushes? Then the unthinkable happens, a
tire bursts and in a flash you have an emergency situation on your hands. This is frightening enough,
but as with any accident they always rear their heads with the worst timing. In amongst the panic and
tears, knowing how to deal with an on the road emergency can get lost in translation; it’s hard enough
to keep the children calm without trying to remember the best things to do. So to make sure that you
are covered before you set off, here are some guidelines to make sure that the rest of your holiday
continues as planned.

Stay Calm and Make Sure You Are Safe

The initial accident has happened and now you need to make sure that everyone is safe. Whether
you have managed to get to safe place or you are still in the road, the most important thing to do is to
stay calm. This is even more important if you have children with you, as panic spreads so this is not
helpful for anyone.

Start by turning off the engine and turning on the hazard lights, at least now you are warning
approaching vehicles that you are there. Exit your car carefully, if you can exit the vehicle on the
opposite side from oncoming traffic and then get any passengers out in the same manner. Once you
are out, make sure you are standing slightly away from the car, especially if you feel there is a chance
of further accidents to occur.

First and foremost you need to check that no one is injured, if someone has been hurt in the accident
calmly call the emergency services, taking note of your location and details of the injury. I know it may
seem like the obvious thing to do, but in the heat of the adrenaline, it is easy to forget or panic which
can lead to further risk.

Contact the Police

However small the accident, if your vehicle is in a position that could cause further harm, or you have
had an accident involving another vehicle, making the police aware is the next move you should
make. If the vehicle really is in a position of danger, such as on a blind bend, it may be necessary to
move it to a safer place, but if not then leave it exactly where it is. This will give the police the chance
to look at the accident and the scene to help both your family and anyone else involved.

Don’t Get Into Any Arguments Over Liability

Whether the accident was your fault or not, you may find that with all the shock comes conversations
over whose fault the incident is. Again, whether you’ve had a minor knock or a serious accident,
entering into any talks or even arguments with other parties involved is neither helpful nor advised
before you have spoken to your insurer. Once you have addressed you families safety and made sure
the area is secure, contact your insurance provider. Swiftcover, as an example, have help lines for
you to report an accident quickly and easily.

Delaying ringing your insurance provider could lead to you claim being handled in a way that doesn’t
reflect what actually happened, so if you can report the accident at the scene this could save you from
future stress.

Record the Details

This is the final thing you will need to do and you should only do it once everyone is safe or being
looked after. There are certain details you will need to hand over to your insurance provider that will
make sure that your claim or the claims of another party will be processed quickly.

As every accident is different, you won’t need to make a note of every single particular, but here are
the specific details you will need to have written down.

The date and time
Location
The name, address and phone number of the other driver (if applicable)
The model and registration of the other vehicle
Any witnesses names and telephone numbers
Details of any injuries and the names of any police officers at the scene
Finally the insurance details of the other vehicle if these can be given

If you can and it is safe to, taking some photos of the accident can also help with your claim, but
again only if it is safe to do so.

The main thing to remember is, stay calm and be safe.