Managing a Road Accident: What You Should Never Do After a Car Accident

“An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my vehicle and vanished.” – Abraham Maslow

A motor vehicle accident is a terrifying experience for everyone involved, especially for vehicle drivers. Time seems to slow down as you watch another car barrel toward you while your body braces for the impact. It speeds up again rapidly as your mind starts to process the shock of the incident. 

Highlighting the high-profile nature of road accidents

Statistically speaking, according to an article titled, How many times will you crash your car, published on Forbes.com, the car insurance industry estimates that the average driver will be in an accident once every 17.9 years. Consequently, if you got your driver’s permit at 16 years old, you will be in between three to four accidents over your driving lifetime. 

Furthermore, motor vehicle accident figures show that, in the US, there are an average of 6 million accidents per year. Three million people are injured every year with two million of these people experiencing permanent injuries.

Thus, it is reasonable to assume that as a road user, you will be involved in at least one accident, possibly more, in your driving lifetime.

What not to do after an accident

There is an accepted list of “must-dos” once the incident has occurred such as ensuring that you swap driver’s permit, insurance, and contact details with all the drivers involved in the accident. It is also recommended that you contact one of the Naqvi injury lawyers as soon as you can after the road accident as there are a number of legal processes like filling out a car insurance claim as well as filing a personal injury claim against the driver who caused the accident.

There is also a list of things that you must never do after an accident. If you do not stick to the list of “post-accident to-dos,” you run the risk of possibly committing a criminal offense. Therefore, here are a few of the vital actions that you should avoid under all circumstances:

Leave the accident scene without stopping

If you flee the scene of an accident, you are guilty of committing a criminal offense that carries a hefty fine or even a jail term. And, if someone involved in the accident was seriously injured or died, you could be charged with murder instead of culpable homicide. Therefore, it is better to stop even if you should not be driving on a public road.

Post photos of the accident on social media

This is also a notable negative, especially if it is a crime scene. Posting photos that contain identifying features of the other drivers and their vehicles can result in a mistrial being declared. And, if the accident was caused by alleged criminals committing another crime, your photos will allow the alleged perpetrators to get off scot-free.

Neglect to report the accident to the local police

It is mandatory to report any motor vehicle accidents to the police who have jurisdiction over the location where the accident occurred. All accidents are required by law to be reported, irrespective of how minor they are.