Staying calm and collected when you’ve just been in a car accident is easier said than done. That’s why it’s important to know what steps to take in the immediate aftermath of such a situation so that you don’t go through a worse experience than necessary.
Sometimes, road accidents happen to you despite all the steps you take to be a safe driver. Should you be unfortunate to be caught in this situation*, knowing what to do will help you be prepared and maintain a calm front.
STEP 1: Size Up The Situation
You are legally obliged to stop if you are involved in a car accident. If there are injuries, don’t move the wounded person. Call immediately for an ambulance (995) and the police (999).
Do not to move the vehicles unless they are causing a major traffic hold-up. If no injuries are involved:
- Ensure the vehicles involved are not obstructing traffic.
- Turn on your hazard lights or set up warning triangles, even if it’s daytime.
Make a police report within 24 hours if the accident involves:
- Fatalities
- Pedestrians/cyclists
- Hit-and-run cases
- Injuries where the victim had to be taken to the hospital
- Damage to government property
- Foreign vehicles
If you were hospitalised because of the accident, the report should be made as soon as you are discharged. When filling out the report, you should not accept or indicate responsibility.
STEP 2: Swop Information
If the other party involved in the accident is not injured, exchange the following particulars with them:
- Full name
- NRIC number/FIN
- Telephone number
- Home address
- Insurer details
- Driver’s licence number
Where additional parties are involved (passengers, pedestrians, witnesses, etc), you should also obtain the above-mentioned information from them.
STEP 3: Gather The Facts
Collect as many facts as possible. This is evidence that could prove useful should a dispute arise over the liabilities of parties involved in the accident. Some of the things you could do are:
- Use your smart phone to photograph the accident scene and surrounding areas. Take photos from different angles, capturing the entire scene as well as details such as lane markings, skid marks, and any debris nearby.
- Take photos of the damage to your own vehicle — best to capture your licence plate as well so that there is no doubt the damage occurred to your car.
- Take snaps of the damage to the other vehicle(s) (while capturing the licence plate(s) if possible). If it is a multiple vehicle collision, take pictures of the vehicles with direct contact (i.e. immediate front/rear vehicles).
- Note the date, time and location of the accident scene, as well as the driving conditions, the weather, and visibility at that point.
- If you have a video camera installed in your car, save a copy of the relevant footage for your insurer as evidence.
If you do not have a camera with you, try and sketch a plan of the accident scene, and include details such as the position of vehicles and any nearby landmarks.
STEP 4: Assess The Damages
Report the accident to your insurer** within 24 hours or by the next working day. Following the accident, you should go to an authorised workshop of your insurer for repairs even if you are claiming against the other party.
*CRASH PREVENTION COURSE
AAS Academy runs a Crash Prevention Course, a hCrash Prevention Courseighly interactive eight-hour programme that focuses on the consequences of unsafe driving behaviours and aims to reduce the number and severity of accidents. Find out more at
https://aasacademy.com.sg/our-services/driver-and-fleet-training/crash-prevention/**MOTOR INSURANCE POLICIES
AAS Insurance Agency offers a range of motor insurance policies, including those for drivers who are old, young or new. They are underwritten by renowned insurers, such as AIG, Liberty, and Tokio Marine. Find out more at
https://aas-insurance.com.sg/product-motor-insurance/
