In the UK, we’re lucky that our roads are relatively safe in comparison to the rest of the world. With a declining trend in the number of accidents year on year over the last two decades, the statistics really are a testament to our understanding of vehicle safety in this country.

Yet, for all of the importance we put on safety, accidents can and do happen every day. Sometimes they can be minor collisions resulting in a smashed headlight or, other times, something significantly more serious. Whatever accident you find yourself in, however, it is important to follow some basic rules to keep you both safe and on the right side of the law.
 

Stop

First things first, it is vital that you stop your vehicle after any kind of accident on the road. To begin with, driving a potentially faulty vehicle could put you and others at risk of injury, however, it is also against the law under the Road Traffic Act to leave the scene of an accident.
 
With this in mind, make sure your engine is switched off and your hazard lights are switched on to let other drivers know the situation.
 

Assess the situation

Your next steps will depend completely on the severity of the accident. Start by looking around to see if yourself or anyone involved is injured. If so, it is imperative to call 999 as soon as possible; on the other hand, if the situation isn’t an emergency, call 101.
 
If you believe some form of an illegal act has been carried out, it may be wise to get the police involved as soon as possible. Foul play can be minimised by installing a dash cam in case hard evidence is needed.
 

Swapping details

If no one is in any immediate danger, it is important to swap information for insurance purposes. This is obligatory and you should be ready to swap names, addresses and contact details with those involved. Make sure you do not incriminate yourself by apologising if it’s not your fault as this might affect your case later.
 
Aside from contact information, it might be useful to take photos of both vehicles and garner any other information that may prove useful to your insurance company.
 

Contacting your insurer

Now you have swapped information, it is important to get in touch with your insurers as soon as possible as failure to do so might end in your claim being invalidated leaving you to foot the bill. If you want to pursue your claim, your insurance company will be able to guide you through the process.

Have you been in an accident that wasn’t your fault?

Although accidents happen, if it was at no fault of your own you may be entitled to compensation. At Catherine Higgins Law, we are well versed in the notoriously complex field of road accident law with our expert team ready and waiting to help with your case.

If you would like to talk further about your claim, it is essential you do so as soon as possible by ringing a member of our team on 0151 428 2472. For more information on our services, visit our website.