The “So You Had a Car Wreck” Essentials – What You Need to Know

6,000,000 a year.  That’s how many (on average) car accidents there are every year.  So with about 300,000,000 people in the US, we’ve all got about a 1 in 50 chance of being in a car wreck.  With I-40, I-65, I-440 and all the highways running through Nashville and Middle Tennessee, it seems there are several wrecks on the news every night. Some involve a vehicle and a tractor trailer, some multi vehicle crashes, the other day, we even had a motorcycle and a semi truck (and the biker lived to tell the tale – there’s a miracle for you!)

There are some things you need to do “just in case” should you ever have a wreck, some things you should do if you do have a wreck and some things you should NEVER do after you’ve had a wreck. This isn’t everything, mind you, it’s just a starting point.  I urge you to do a little research on your own and especially go over the below with your teen and young adult drivers.

Let’s start with the prepping.

You need a good emergency kit.  You’ll want a flashlight with fresh batteries, a copy of your registration and insurance card (in addition to the one in your glove box – they can pop open and scatter your documents in a wreck), your emergency numbers, an emergency 911 only cell phone (they are cheap and can only be used to dial 911 – again, your cell may disappear in a wreck), a disposable camera, some paper and a pen, a list of any serious medical issues you may have (ie if you’re a diabetic or allergic to certain medications), some small cones or reflectors to put around your vehicle, a mylar blanket (trust me, it can be 80 degrees and you can feel like you’re freezing to death if you are in shock or traumatized), some bottled water and a few granola bars, and a foldable bag to carry your personal items in.  The list is pretty self explanatory and none of it is expensive.  We tend to think help will arrive in a matter of seconds in this day and age, but what if you are in a remote location, or it’s terrible weather, or the emergency services just don’t respond quickly?

So we’ve got our kit.  Here are some things you should do and should not do if you do have an accident.

  1. Stay calm, stay in your car, turn on your flashers, call 911.  It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel hurt. You could be in shock. You may have fractured a vertebrae and not feel the pain for a week or your passenger or the other person involved in the wreck may be hurt.  Remember this scientific fact: all of us have the “fight or flight response”.  This is governed by our adrenal gland.  When you are in an accident, or involved in any upsetting or scary situation, your body gives a huge dose of adrenalin to you.  This substance does three major things, designed to help us immediately respond to a life threatening situation: it gives you a huge jolt of energy, it gives you unusual strength, and it dulls the pain receptors in your body.  Once you’re home and the adrenalin wears off, and your body starts to stiffen up or swell in the injured areas, only then will any injuries start to become apparent to you – this could be 2 -5 hours after the accident.
  2. After calling 911, if you are in hazards way and your car will move, drive to the side of the road and turn your flashers on. If you have your flares or reflectors and it’s dark, go ahead and set them out.
  3. Check on the other person in the accident. Are they OK? Have they called 911? Have you both given the same location to the first responders so there is no confusion?  If the person seems angry or threatening, stay in your car with the doors locked until help arrives.  There is no profit in trying to reason or fight with a person when they are in an agitated condition.
  4. Do not admit fault. If someone asked you “how are you?” Say “I’m shaken up”.  You don’t know if you’re hurt or not, don’t try to diagnose yourself (see #1).
  5. Do not let the police corner you into signing or making a statement you don’t feel comfortable with, you are under no obligation to do so at that moment. Tell them you are shaken up and not thinking clearly, then contact them the next day once you know you’re ok (or not) and you are more clear headed and less panicked.
  6. Exchange information with the other person.  Don’t be afraid to ask to take a photo of their driver’s license or insurance card with your cell phone. You don’t want to write down the wrong information or worse, have someone give you fake insurance information.
  7. Get witness information.  Who pulled over to help you? What are their names? If nothing else, you might want to send them a little thank-you card for their kindness, or you might need their testimony if you are injured and not at fault.
  8. Do call a loved one and have them come to meet you if possible.
  9. Do remove all the articles you can salvage that are of value to you in the car.  They might not be there after your car spends a few days at the tow yard or the repair shop.
  10. Do get the information of the company towing your car. Remember that you have a right to have your car repaired at a shop of your choice.
  11. Lastly, don’t be afraid to call an attorney.

All consultations with any attorney should be free (like ours).  We will get you together with one of our licensed experienced Nashville car accident attorneys to talk about the particulars of your case.  The long term impacts can be severe. You could lose the use of your vehicle, you could be injured and unable to return to work for a period of time, you could be permanently injured. . . why take that risk? You deserve to be compensated for your injury and financial hardship.