Do you know what are the steps to follow if you witness or are involved in RTA (Road traffic accident)? Today, we will guide you step by step to make sure everybody gets into safety and all the formalities are done in an orderly manner.
Steps to be followed:
Be calm: This is the most important thing to do. Be calm and think what all you need to do. A person’s body and mind will be in a restless state after an accident. Ensure that you do not walk or talk unnecessarily.
Check yourself for injuries and call for an ambulance: Look for bruises or cuts. Try to walk slowly to check for pain. If you are injured then ask someone else to call the ambulance. If you are a bystander, call for an ambulance first and then go check the drivers and passengers.
Check well-being: If you are fine to move without any pain, check if the passenger experiences any pain and do the same for the collided driver.
Get to safety: If you and your car both are in good condition, then drive and park the car along the side. If your car is not in good condition, then get yourself away from the road and stand on the footpath/side. If you are a bystander offer your help to move the vehicle. Not all bystanders have good intentions, hence be cautious of theft.
First aid: Many deaths and major injuries can be prevented if first aid treatment is given immediately after the accident. Bystanders can check the injured person for Asphyxia, cardiac arrest, severe bleeding, illness and shock. The injured person should be checked for oxygen flow as blocked airways can lead to death in four minutes. If there is any bleeding, try to wrap a clean cloth around the bleeding site to prevent blood loss. If arm, leg, etc are injured, try supporting them with any hard surface/plank, etc
Call the police: Call the police to report the accident irrespective of being a minor or a major collision. This is mandatory. If the police do not arrive on time, you can also report the accident by going to the police station later.
Document the accident: Ask for a copy of the accident report at the police station. Take pictures of your vehicle of any damaged area and other drivers license plate. You need to also gather information of names and contact number of the accident witnesses.
Call and notify the insurer: After everything is settled down, call the insurer to report the accident. It will be better to call the insurer on the spot so that he will be positive that it is not any fraud and will also let you know what all to do to claim the money.
Do not quarrel or fight after the accident. Precious lives are at stake hence avoid any quarrel or fight even if the other person confronts you. Life is the first priority in an accident. Rest all comes after that. Be smart and act quickly.