You’ve just been hit by a car. You’re either happy to be alive, filled with rage or on the verge of breaking down from shock. One way or another, adrenalin will be raging through your body.
You’ve just been hit by a car. You’re either happy to be alive, filled with rage or on the verge of breaking down from shock. One way or another, adrenalin will be raging through your body.
Yes, of course, you’re a good and responsible driver, but no matter how good you are at driving, there’s always a chance that you’ll be in an accident.
When the time comes, you know that there’s nothing that you can do but brace for the impact and hope for the best.
Everything is out of your hands. It wasn’t your fault, so do you scream abuse at the other driver or do you attack them?
Do you just take their name and number to give to your insurance company and leave it at that? Do you take some medication to help you relax or do you have a drink to calm the nerves?
None of that is going to help you repair your car and some could even leave you on the wrong side of the law.
The Automobile Association of South Africa has put together a checklist of important things you need to do or be aware of if you’re involved in an accident:
• Check yourself and your car for damage and take a photo if possible
• Do the same for the other driver
• If there are injured people, call emergency services on 10111 or via cellphone on 112
• Find out exactly what happened from their side – why the crash happened
• Take down the driver’s details, including the name, contact number, ID number and insurance details
• Their vehicle information (the make and model, colour and registration)
• Details of witnesses (names and contact numbers)
• Remember the road and weather conditions
• Report to the police within 24 hours if there are no injuries. If an officer is present, note their name, rank, staff number and station
• Only move your car if it is impeding traffic, but not until the position of the cars has been marked out.
