Ever since cars were introduced to the roads, there were always traffic accidents. We are led to think that traffic accidents are a pretty common thing, a necessary evil in this world. However, does this really need to be the case in many of the car-centric cities around the world? Do we really need to pay for modern transport in these sacrifices that take way too many lives every year? These are very important questions that we do not ask ourselves because we are used to cars.
However, until there is a more systematic change in how we view and use cars, it is important to educate ourselves on traffic accidents. Even if we make sure to be safe drivers on the road, there is still no telling who is behind a wheel in another car. When an accident happens, it is very important to take the correct steps in order to minimize the damages. Here are some crucial things you need to be careful about when in a traffic accident.
Rear end collisions
The most common type of traffic accident is rear-ended collision, which is why people next to the driver are in the most danger. According to an NYC car accident whiplash lawyer, these types of injuries are quite a nuisance because of the long-term effects. Even if you have been in this type of accident, true symptoms may not show up until later.
These symptoms include neck pain, fatigue, sleep difficulties, and a whole lot of other long-term effects. Whiplash is a serious condition that requires the help of a professional lawyer in order to get the right compensation. While driving, you need to take extra care of the person sitting next to you because of this common injury in accidents.
Other types of collisions
Besides rear-end collisions, the other two most common collisions include side and frontal types. Side collisions are also very common, and again, quite bad for the person next to the driver. This type of accident occurs when the other driver is not careful when making a turn resulting from very bad timing.
These injuries are easier to see than read-end collision injuries and can be fatal. It is very important to be on the lookout for such reckless drivers because it is easier to avoid these crashes than rear-end crashes. Frontal crashes are even worse than the last two because they are often high-speed crashes, thus dangerous for everyone.
Most common mistakes
The most common cause of traffic accidents is distracted driving, and there are a lot of things that distract drivers now. Most of the time, phone usage is to blame for such accidents, but there are other factors. Another big factor that results in distracted driving is feeling tired, which is the main cause of truck accidents.
Long and stressful hours of driving are the main cause of such dangerous accidents involving trucks. When people are in a rush, they tend to make mistakes they want to avoid, which is another reason why accidents occur. It is not uncommon that people need to eat while driving because they do not have the time of the day to do otherwise.
Safety first
When an accident occurs, the first priority is to make sure that everyone is safe. There is no time to stress and panic over the damage, get everyone to safety. If the damage is minor, there is no reason to call all the emergency services to help out. In such cases, it is up to you and the other driver to see if you can strike a deal or call the police to settle this.
However, if the accident resulted in more than just vehicle damages, you need to prioritize safety. This means calling an ambulance to help everyone hurt in the accident. There is no time to dispute whose fault it was when it is a life-or-death situation for someone gravely wounded.
Documenting the accident
It is very important to document the accident and have hard evidence of what happened. Whether you are trying to prove the other driver scratched your car or caused more damage, you need evidence. Luckily, taking pictures and videos of the accident is a very good way of documenting a traffic accident, but you still need more.
Make sure to get the personal information of the other driver and have other witnesses. If there were other cars or pedestrians, ask them to testify, so they can confirm the true story. Call the police as soon as possible, so they can see everything, and do not move the vehicles until they arrive.
Getting a lawyer
Even in obvious traffic accidents where the damage is pretty clear, it can still be tough to get the compensation you need. Insurance companies have one goal and one goal only, to make money and keep it for themselves. This means that you will need to go through a hefty battle against them to get the justice you deserve.
This is why it is important to hire a lawyer experienced in traffic accidents in order to win the case. You would be surprised to see the lengths people are willing to go to, so they do not need to give you the compensation you deserve. It is especially tough to fight them if you or someone close to you got injured in this traffic accident.
The San Antonio car accident lawyers at Thompson Law are an experienced accident law firm that takes pride in representing auto injury victims.
These are the core things you need to think about before and after an accident occurs. It is easy to write about these things and read about them, but it is a whole different story when reality hits you. It is a very stressful situation and a lot of people tend to panic or break down in such a situation, especially if someone is hurt. It is just a single moment, a split second, that separates you from an accident.
It occurs so quickly that our minds and emotions are not ready for it, and a lot of people just freeze. This is due to a very strong fight-or-flight reaction that happens inside our bodies, which is trying to protect us from this accident. It is very important to stay cool and try to be reasonable and apply the aforementioned tips when a traffic accident occurs.
