We talked about your teen getting his or her driver’s license in a previous blog post and we hope you never have to deal with him or her getting into an automobile accident. One thing your teen should learn, however, is what to do in the event of a fender-bender. Mark’s Auto Service can help prevent accidents by keeping your vehicles road-ready, but should your teen get into an auto incident, there are steps he or she should follow to make sure everyone is okay and to get the information your automobile insurance company needs to process your claim.
Right After the Accident
Immediately following the accident, your teen should make certain that everyone in the car is alright. If anyone is injured, your teen should call 9-1-1 right away. If the accident is minor, just a light tap on the rear bumper, your teen probably doesn’t need to call for emergency services. If the cars are severely damaged, emergency services should be called just in case one or both of the vehicles were to catch fire or otherwise become a danger.
If the car, truck, or SUV was not disabled from the accident, your teen should move it out of traffic to a safe place. This could be the highway shoulder or city street curb. If the car cannot be moved, your teen shouldn’t attempt to do so. No matter what, your teen should turn on the hazard lights right away and then exit the vehicle only when it’s safe to do so and put emergency triangles or flares around the scene. Next, call the police. Even if the accident isn’t a big deal, the local authorities must file a report.
Gathering Information
Another advantage of having the police there is they can cool hot heads if your teen or the other driver(s) is outwardly upset. The police will take a report of the incident, and your teen should ask for a copy of it as well as the police officers’ names and badge numbers. Your teen should also get the names and contact information of all people involved in the accident, including the witnesses. He or she should also get the driver’s license and insurance information of the other drivers and all vehicle information.
Finally, your teen should take pictures of the scene and the damage to the cars. This visually documents the accident for the insurance claim. Once you’ve filed the insurance claim and the bodywork is done, bring your teen’s vehicle to Marks Auto Service in Loves Park, Belvidere, Roscoe, and Rockford, IL. We’ll inspect the automobile for engine damage. We have two shops, one in Loves Park, Belvidere, Roscoe, and Rockford, IL, and one in Loves Park. IL.
