Bosch Car Service – Accident guide

Accidents can happen to any motorist. It is important to bear this in mind and carry appropriate equipment with you that can be extremely useful in an emergency. Although none of the following are mandatory, all serve to make your life that much easier after an accident. Reflective vests should be stored so that you and others at the scene are easily identifiable by other road users. First aid kits are also advisable to have in your car and one of the most useful tools to have in an emergency.

Other useful things to be taken along:

• Insurance details
• Torch
• Camera phone
• Notepad

You should remain calm as in any other emergency. If your car is still roadworthy, switch on the emergency lights and immediately maneuver it to a safe place where it does not impede the flow of traffic. A breakdown bay on the road is as suitable as the shoulder on the motorway for this.

You should never let children leave the car by themselves. Proceed immediately to a safe place (e.g. behind a guardrail), so as not to get in the way of the flow of traffic or be hit by it. Should you have one, secure the scene of the accident by placing a warning triangle on the side of the road about 100 to 150 strides behind the scene of an accident to draw the attention of the following road users. Ensure that you exercise caution and wear a high visibility jacket when placing the triangle.

Specific actions to be carried out after the accident depends on the type and seriousness of the situation, but there are some important general tips to remember when securing the scene. It is not necessary to notify police in cases of minor damage, such as causing a dent while parking, but authorities should always be made aware of these when you are abroad. In a more serious case, it is useful to ask witnesses to stay until the police have arrived to provide information; taking pictures also helps the process move along much faster.

In cases where injuries have been sustained, emergency services should be called immediately and any minor first aid that be provided until they arrive, should be. For this reason it is important to make sure you are always equipped with a mobile as public telephones are not always easily located.

What happens after your involvement in an accident? The claims that you can make depends on the circumstances of the accident, who is the guilty party and existing insurance coverage. This is precisely the reason why it is necessary to first gather all vehicle and personal data and all of the relevant facts about the accident for securing evidence. This supports either the police, who were summoned to the accident site, or helps in the preparation of an accident report. This can then be submitted either to your liability insurance company or the automobile liability insurance company of the persons involved in the car accident, in view of settling the damage incurred or caused.