What do you do after an accident?
You've been in a collision, whats next?
So you've just been in a traffic collision, what do you do next? Many people actually panic during this time and that's where they make THE MOST common mistake; Not having a checklist.
As a highly-rated towing company (check out our reviews), we take great pride in ensuring our communities have the information they need at all times; because it's ALWAYS better to have the information and not need it, rather than vice versa.
The most common things that are forgotten (which you should be doing) are as follows:
- Taking pictures of the immediate accident¹ (if you're able to do so safely)
- Exchanging information with other party/ parties involved.
- Calling ICBC as soon as possible
- Witnesses²
- Common sense & courtesy to the other party. Your day is bad, so is theirs.
¹ Taking pictures of the immediate accident will aid in the confirmation on who's fault the traffic collision was. Without these pictures, you could be held 50% responsible, even if you did nothing wrong so.. take pictures. We can't stress this enough
² Witnesses; This one is really big too. Nowadays, it is very rare for anyone else to stop and offer witness statements, but if you happen to have someone see what happens and they stop, make sure you get their contact information as well. ICBC will potentially talk to them to corroborate your recollection of the event that took place.
Remember to be kind to others. The other party / parties involved in your situation have got a bad day as well. Yelling at the other party is counter-productive.
We're planning to release our free, printable Vehicle Collision Checklist (VCC) soon. This list should be printed and stored with your insurance paper to ensure you don't forget the important steps in a stressful situation.
Recap:
- Photos / videos (without shoving camera in other party/ parties faces
- Exchange insurance information / Get witness information
- Give ICBC a call to let them know what happened. Make sure you have street names and which way you were facing when the collision occurred. They will either set up a tow truck for you or you'll be able to call your own trusted company.
If you need assistance, or have any questions; Feel free to reach out to us at Jonny's Towing & Recovery Ltd. (604) 398-8866
