Car accidents are not unusual, unfortunately. There are a lot of distracted drivers out there these days. This means that people aren’t paying enough attention and an accident follows. Some of these people decide to cut and run when they cause an accident and can leave you wondering what to do next.
An accident is traumatizing enough, but when the other driver flees, it gets very complicated. You’ll need to make sure that you take a few steps, including calling a car accident attorney like Lamber Goodnow. Before you do that, though, there are some things to take care of. In this article, we will go over the steps to take in case you are involved in a hit-and-run accident.
1. Try to identify the carÂ
It is very important that the driver of the other vehicle is caught as soon as possible. They may be about to cause another accident since they are trying to get away at all costs so the sooner they are stopped, the better.
Once you have made sure that you are not injured, then try to get the license plate number along with the make and model of the other vehicle. It’s even better if you are able to get a picture on your phone as they are taking off.
As soon as you see that they are trying to leave the scene, call the police and give them your location and the information about the other driver. Local police will be alerted and be on the lookout.
Having the person caught and answerable will make the process that comes next much easier for you to manage.
2. Get to safetyÂ
After you’ve made the call to the police, it is time to try to get yourself out of the street and to safety. If the car can be driven, try to take a quick picture of the car before it’s moved. Then, get it to a safe spot on the side of the road so you are not in danger of causing another accident.
If you can’t move your car, make sure to put up some flares or signals to indicate there was an accident. Then, get yourself to a safe spot off of the road and away from passing vehicles.
3. Get witness testimony
Having other people corroborate what happened is essential in any car accident. In a hit and run these witnesses can help identify the car or give other relevant information for when you make a case. Since they were not involved, they have no bias and are very valuable to insurance companies or the police.
Try to talk to them to understand exactly what they saw and understand how they can help. Then, get their information so they can be called at a later date. Try to convince them to stick around until the police come so they can be questioned and put on the official police report.
