A car accident can change your life. Even a relatively minor fender bender can ruin your day and take weeks to resolve. It’s something nobody wants, no matter the conditions. Bad weather car accidents can be entirely different. Knowing what to do after an accident can help make the situation easier to manage.
What to Do After an Accident
Even in bad weather, you need to do the same things that are required after any accident.
- First and foremost, stay at the scene. Never drive away from the scene of an accident.
- Next, make the scene safe for you and other drivers. Turn on hazard lights or set flares, if you have them, to warn other drivers.
- Call the police to report the accident.
- Document the accident. This includes taking pictures and making notes of what happened.
- Exchange information with the other driver.
- If anyone was injured, call for or seek medical attention. If injuries are serious, this should be done right away.
What Makes Bad Weather Car Accidents Different?
Knowing what to do after an accident when bad weather is involved is important. You need to follow all the steps above, but special considerations are added. First, it may take additional care to make sure the scene of the accident is safe. You might have to mark off a larger area to give other drivers more time to respond when approaching the scene.
Also, you and the other people involved in the accident should keep warm and dry. Once you take care of things outside, it is perfectly reasonable to wait in your car as long as it is in good enough condition and away from traffic.
A very important consideration for bad weather accidents is documenting the weather. When it comes to who is at fault for an accident, negligence is a key factor. In normal weather conditions, driving at the speed limit is reasonable. However, driving at the speed limit in heavy snow or fog is likely negligent. Documenting what happened in relation to the weather at the time is important for determining liability.
Contact Your Auto Body Experts
To get your vehicle back in shape after an accident, contact the experts at Cascade Collision. Our services help you with all the steps you need for your insurance claim while making your car look as good as new. Contact us today!
