10 tips to follow after a car accident

Most road-users are involved in accidents at some time or another, and it is worth noting what to do if it happens to you. Whether you are driving in the UK or in a hire car on holiday, it is worth remembering the following:

rn1. Accident packrnAlways keep an accident pack in the car. Make sure you always have a pen and paper handy for any notes and insurance details you may need to take, and keep a disposable camera in the car for photos of the accident scene, which can help with any future insurance claim.rn2. Always stop rnAlways stop at the scene of an accident. It is law that you stop if you hit a domestic animal or a person.rn3. Make the accident scene safernMake the accident scene safe by turning off your engine, turning on your hazard lights and alerting oncoming traffic to the accident.rn4. Emergency ServicesrnIf anyone is injured, or the road is blocked, call 999 in the UK and call out the emergency services. If you happen to be travelling by hire car in a different country, get the number of their emergency services before starting out on any journey.rn5. Stay calmrnWhoever is at fault, try to stay as calm as possible. Shouting and screaming will only make matters worse.rn6. Witness informationrnNote down the names and full details of any witnesses to the accident, including passengers where possible. Car registration numbers, location, and photos can all come in useful, particularly if you will be making an insurance claim.rn7. Driver detailsrnExchange details with the other driver involved, including, name, address, vehicle registration and his insurance company.rn8. Draw the scenernMake sketches, take notes and even videos of the scene where possible. Include street names and direction of travel in your notes as the person dealing with your claim may not be local and may not know the area.rn9. Additional notesrnMake a note of additional information which may be useful, including factors which may have helped cause the accident. These can include weather, the amount of traffic, the speed of traffic, what the other driver was doing at the time of the accident, etc., If the other driver was using his mobile phone, this can prove particularly relevant if you are pursuing an insurance claim so note it down.rn10. Contact your insurance companyrnContact your insurance company as soon as possible to let them know about the accident, even if you do not intend to make a claim. Check your insurance policy to see if you are entitled to a hire car if your car is damaged. You may be entitled to more help and assistance than you are aware of from your insurance company, so check the small print.

Common factors of car accidents on Britain´s roads include:

1. Human error or an error of judgement by the driver accounts for over 90% of all car accidents.

2. Road maintenance and road works account for nearly 8% of car accidents in the UK.

3. Vehicle failure accounts for 2% of all car accidents in the UK.

Human error biggest cause of car accidents

Human error is by far the biggest cause of car accidents on Britain´s roads. Nearly 3.5 million car accidents occur every year because of human error. Reports show that drivers using mobile phones while driving are up to four times more likely to have an accident. Other distractions which often cause accidents are noisy young children in the car, spilt drinks and even lit cigarettes flying back in the window after drivers have tried to dispose of them.

Many car accidents are caused by drivers misjudging speed and direction and smashing into the car in front or an approaching vehicle. Tiredness, driving while under the influence of alcohol and driving while under the influence of drugs accounts for nearly 15% of all car accidents and 35% of all car accident deaths.