Car accidents - who should attend and who to call after?
Unfortunately many of us have been involved in a car accident or know a family member or friend who has been affected by one. Maybe it was a simple scratch to your bumper by a lamp post or maybe it was a more severe accident.
Depending on the extent of the incident will define who should attend the accident scene, if you have been involved in a minor bump with the car in front you will not usually require the services of emergency services.
In the event of a major road traffic accident the police should be called and if there are any injured motorists an ambulance should be called, where motorists are trapped or the chance of fire is great the fire department should attend.
With any accident you should collect certain information to assist your claim, you should get contact details for any witnesses, the name, address and telephone number of the other parties involved. It is also worth making a note of the vehicles make, model and registration number.
Where the accident is severe and the drivers involved are unable to do this the police who attend the scene will gather this information.
The next step after a car accident should be to contact your insurance provider to make a claim, if the accident was not your fault then your repairs or replacement vehicle will be paid for by the other drivers insurance.
Updated on 7/6/2008