Car Accident Guide – Part 1

No one wants to assume the worst when it comes to travelling, and the last thing most of us would think about before a journey is being involved in a motor vehicle collision.

But let’s face it, sometimes the worst does happen, and in stressful and adrenaline-filled situations like these it pays to be prepared. 

A cool, calm approach will help ensure the best possible outcome for all parties involved, which is why the team of car insurance experts here at Genesis Insurance has put together this handy guide for you and your family and friends, to bring yourselves up to speed with the basic insurance procedures, and what you need to do if your vehicle is involved in a collision.

You can even print a copy and keep this in your car as a quick reference guide in the event of an accident.

We’ve split our car accident guide into two parts – the immediate aftermath and the claims process.

Check back on our blog for Part 2 of this guide, or subscribe for new blog notifications straight to your inbox.

Car Accident Procedure 101 – The Basics

You’ve had an accident. What’s next?

Step 1:  Stop, switch your vehicle off, and switch your hazard lights on. You can be prosecuted if you leave the accident scene without stopping.

Step 2:  Check if anyone is injured. If there are any injuries that require immediate medical assistance, call the relevant emergency services. Do not attempt to move any injured persons – wait for help and keep any injured parties calm. Call the police if you suspect the other driver is under the influence of alcohol (or guilty of another criminal offence).

Step 3:  If there are no serious injuries and minimal damage has been inflicted on your vehicle, you can move your vehicle to a safe position in order to ease traffic. If you are unable to move your vehicle for any reason, place the required warning markers on the road and call your insurance provider to arrange further assistance.

Step 4:  Check your vehicle for damage. Use your phone to take pictures of the damage to all vehicles involved if it is safe to do so. 

Step 5: Take a mental sketch (or a physical one if possible) of the accident location. Include details like the direction your vehicle was travelling in, the position and details of any other vehicles involved, road names and intersections.

Step 6:  Obtain details of the other parties involved, including:

• Drivers full name, surname and ID number,
• Vehicle registration number, make, model and colour
• Drivers contact address and telephone number
• Drivers insurance details
• Incident date, time and location
• Eyewitness contact details, if any

Do not enter into any discussions about payment or responsibility for the accident, whatever the circumstances.

Step 7:  File an accident report at your nearest police station within the first working day after the accident, or within 24 hours if anyone was injured. Both parties have a responsibility to report the accident – even if there are no injuries or major damage to vehicles, any incident that involves public property (such as a traffic sign) must be reported to the police.

Step 8: Notify your broker of the accident as soon as possible (you usually have a limited time to do this).

Step 9: Your broker will evaluate and process your claim, using the information you gathered and provided.

Step 10: Follow your insurance brokers claims procedure.

So, that’s it. Keep your wits about you and stay calm, and you will have all the information necessary to submit a claim to your insurance and get any damages rectified. 

To find out more about the claims process, take look at part 2 of our blog.

To talk to us about your car insurance please email info@genesisisb.co.za with your policy reference number, and a member of the team will get back to your query.