4 Things to Do After a Houston Car Accident that Some People Forget Houston is a busy city, with many individuals going to and from work eve...

4 Things to Do After a Houston Car Accident that Some People Forget

Houston is a busy city, with many individuals going to and from work every day. Their vehicles can clog up the streets during rush hour, and that’s when car accidents are likely. Someone hurrying to work might try to make an unsafe turn because they don’t want to be late, or they might attempt a dangerous lane change without checking to see whether traffic is coming.

You should avoid any of these unsafe activities, Houston residents. Even if you follow all traffic laws, though, it’s still possible you might cause an accident. The right set of circumstances can cause another vehicle to plow into you, and that incident can change your life forever.

You would hope that if this happens, you can avoid serious injury. There are several steps you should follow after an accident, so we’ll run through those now. You don’t want to forget to do any of these things.  

Get Off the Road

Maybe a car hit you when you’re in the middle of a busy intersection during rush hour. It might also be that a vehicle struck you when you’re in a deserted part of town in the dead of night, with no other cars around.

Either way, getting your vehicle out of the street should be your first move if you can manage it. The reason why you should do this is that if your car stays in the middle of the road, it’s possible that a second or third accident could occur the longer your vehicle is out there.

Some people don’t pay close attention when they’re driving. You would hope they will spot your disabled vehicle in the road and slow down once they see you have your hazard lights on. If they’re daydreaming, though, they might plow into your stalled or damaged car before they even realize what is happening.

You can only get your car off the road if you’re uninjured and the vehicle is still capable of you driving it. If it is too badly damaged, or the crash hurt you, and you’re not able to drive, you have no choice but to leave it where it is and hope for the best.

Check for Injuries and Call 911

If you can get your car off the road and out of traffic’s path, checking yourself and your passengers for injuries is the next logical step. Maybe it is obvious to you immediately that the crash hurt you. If so, and you are capable of calling 911, do so. If you have a smartphone with you, or one of your passengers does, that’s the easiest way to get the authorities to come.

This is why it’s always a wise idea to have a smartphone with you when you go out for a drive. It will come in handy if a vehicle ever hits you and you need immediate assistance.

If you don't own a smartphone, or are not in physical condition to call for help, your passenger can do it, or the other driver can. If none of you have a smartphone, you might see if someone in a passing vehicle has one. Most people carry a smartphone with them these days, so one of you should be able to call.

Doing so will get both the police and an ambulance to come. Even if you’re not sure whether the crash hurt any of you or not, it’s best to get some medical personnel on the scene. Once the adrenaline has worn off, one of you might realize you are in worse shape than you originally thought.

Start Exchanging Information

If you and the other driver seem to be physically okay, you can next begin exchanging insurance information with them. You should tell them your full name, insurance provider, and license plate number. You will want to get the same from them.

Keep in mind the other driver might be upset. Maybe they feel like you caused the wreck, so their first urge might be to yell and scream at you before the police arrive. Some drivers don’t handle car wrecks very graciously.

If that happens, get back in your car and lock the doors. Wait for the police to arrive. When they get there, they can defuse the situation.

Once the cops arrive, they will want the same information from you. They will fill out a crash report on the scene, and they might administer a breathalyzer to you or the other driver if it seems appropriate.

Get a Ride Home

Once you’ve exchanged information with the other driver and the police, you can go to the hospital if you seem hurt, or else you can go home. You can drive your car home if the damage does not seem too bad. If the crash totaled the car, you will need to call a tow truck to haul it away for you.

The tow truck driver may be able to give you a ride home, or else you can call an Uber or a Lyft. The tow truck driver might take you to the auto body shop instead, so you can begin to ascertain the vehicle’s damage extent.

If you drop off the vehicle and go home, you can call your insurance provider at that point. You will need to report what happened immediately so you can get the ball rolling on a possible claim.

You should give them the bare facts regarding what happened, but you should never admit any blame, even if you’re reasonably sure you caused the accident. Once you have told the insurance company what happened, you can start thinking about hiring a lawyer.

You don’t necessarily need one. That all depends on whether the other driver tells a different story than what happened. It could also be that the other driver’s insurance provider is not going to put up the money to cover all your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.