Luckily, car accidents aren’t something drivers have to deal with on a regular basis. What that often means is when someone is involved in one, they’re not really sure what to do. There’s a lot of confusion around who to call, when, how to arrange a tow truck and whether or not you’re allowed to move your car.
In this guide, we’re going to break down all the info you need to simplify things as much as possible so you can handle the situation and get the help you need.
Check for immediate dangers and injuries
Before you even think about something like insurance or a tow truck, take a moment to assess the situation. Is everyone okay? Is there fuel leaking on the ground? Smoke or fire? People are always more important than paperwork so make sure you and everyone at the scene are in a safe position.
If someone has been injured, call 000 immediately and worry about the rest later. Even if you think the injuries could be minor, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
When should you contact emergency services
Sometimes it can be hard to know if a situation is worth contacting 000 for.
As outlined in the QLD Police Traffic Crash FAQs, “[y]ou must stop at the scene and call 000 (triple zero) if there is an emergency or any of the following ‘police attendance criteria’ are met –
- death or injury (requiring medical attention from a qualified ambulance officer, nurse or doctor)
- a hazardous environment or threat to public safety, including traffic congestion (e.g. fuel spill, power lines down).”
If these criteria haven’t been met, emergency services are not required. That doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to call them, simply that it’s not mandatory.
Know when to move your car(s)
There’s a lot of confusion around this one which can make the situation so much worse than it needs to be! In the vast majority of car accidents, your vehicles can and should be moved to safety. This improves safety for everyone involved and reduces the impact on traffic.
Your car must not be moved and you should call 000 if:
- There have been injuries or fatalities at the scene
- Moving the vehicle(s) is unsafe or impossible in its current state
Your car must not be moved and you should call Policelink on 131 444 if:
- You suspect the involvements of drugs or alcohol
- There is a risk of further damage to property or vehicles
Outside of these circumstances, you can and should move your car(s) to a safe location before you worry about exchanging information, calling for a tow truck or contacting insurance.
So many minor accidents turn into major traffic delays because someone at the scene thought it was illegal to move their car after a minor ding! That said, never take any risks. If you think it could be dangerous to move, leave it to the professionals and get everyone to safety.
Safety first
With the immediate actions out of the way, it’s time to make sure everyone is as safe as possible before you get into the formalities – this includes other motorists on the road.
Move the vehicles off the roadway, ideally to a side street to reduce rubber-necking if possible. Make sure everyone is well clear of the damaged car(s) and roadway since gawking will distract other drivers, putting you in harm’s way.
Turn on your hazard lights to increase visibility, then remove any dangerous debris from the road if safe to do so. That means, if there’s a bumper sitting in the middle of a quiet suburban street, move it to the side. Never step onto a busy or high speed roadway to clear debris!
Exchange information
In a multi-vehicle accident, all drivers need to exchange contact information. Here’s a short list of what you should be collecting:
- Driver names
- Driver licence numbers (best to take a photo of their licence)
- Insurance information from the other driver(s), including the provider’s name and policy number
- Driver phone numbers
- Vehicle make, model and registration
- Time, date and exact location of the accident
- The name and number for any direct witnesses (ideally an impartial third party)
It’s always best to gather this information as soon as practical, once the above steps have been taken. Keep all discussion strictly factual to avoid any potential for misinterpretation.
Call for a tow truck
Now that everyone is safe and details have been exchanged, it’s time to arrange a tow truck. Accident Towing is something we’re unfortunately familiar with, so if you have any remaining questions about the process, our friendly team can help you out.
Once your driver arrives on the scene, they’ll be able to guide you through any remaining steps from there. No matter what state your car is in, we’ll be able to send the right truck and driver to get it recovered safely secured on the back of a tow truck.
Take photos and videos of the scene
While the tow truck is on its way, take thorough photos and video of the accident scene. You should capture anything you think might be relevant. This can include things like:
- The road where the accident happened
- The road conditions
- Any obstructions that may have contributed
- The state of all vehicles involved
- Any possible contributing factors on the vehicles (e.g. bald tyres)
Take some time to be thorough with this process. Take photos of everything you can think of, then do a video walk-around of each vehicle and the accident scene as well. The last thing you want is to get home then realise you forgot to take a photo of something. Video helps to fill in the gaps and give different perspectives on the same damage.
As always, safety first. Don’t go walking onto a busy roadway for the sake of a photo, just do the best you can without taking unnecessary risk.
Write down details of what happened
While everything is still fresh, write down a detailed account of everything that happened before, during and after the accident. Our memories aren’t as reliable as we’d like to think. By writing detailed notes in your phone while you’re at the scene, this can be a major help during the police and/or insurance process.
Write down as much detail as you can think of. It’s always better to have ‘too much’ detail rather than not enough.
Contact your insurance company
Of course, you’ll also want to get in contact with your insurance company. Most policies will have a maximum time frame you have to report the accident to them–often 24hrs, but not always–but if you have time to do this at the scene, that’s ideal.
Not only will this be a requirement of your policy, but they’ll also be able to run you through the required steps to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Car accidents are always a stressful time, so the more professional guidance you can get the better!
Keep a record and proof of all expenses associated with the accident
When it comes to insurance claims and reimbursements, you’ll want to have all the relevant receipts on hand. If you had to purchase medical products, pay for a rental car or even a bus fare, keep your proof.
Know what your insurance policy will cover and keep the details on hand. If your policy covers the expense and you have the receipts, you will be reimbursed. Remember, this is why you pay insurance in the first place.
Pro Tip: Read the details of your insurance policy
As we’ve mentioned a couple of times above, it’s important that you understand exactly what your insurance policy includes. Far too often we see people pay for expenses out of pocket, then find out later that they could have had that cost covered!
Since every policy is different, we can’t give you details of what will be included. Just take the time to read through all the boring fine print, it could save you thousands of dollars.