Things Your Teen Driver Should Do After a Crash
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 235,845 teens received emergency medical treatment for injuries sustained in vehicle accidents during 2015. Collisions can be terrifying, especially for an inexperienced teenage driver. However, panic may cause additional problems after the collision, so your teen needs to know the right way to handle the situation.
When Your Teen Is in an Accident
Help your young driver remain calm and collected by following these tips:
Stay safe
Your teen driver should check himself for injuries, and then ensure that everyone else involved in the accident is okay. If possible, he should activate his hazard lights and set up warning cones to alert other motorists to the accident.
Call for help
It’s always a good idea to contact the police, even when an accident is minor and there are no injuries. Your teen needs to know that he should also call you, so that you can help him with talking to the insurance company, obtaining a police report, and contacting an attorney.
Write everything down
Your teenager will probably be emotionally shaken after his accident, and likely to forget important details. Encourage him to write down everything he can, including the other driver’s name, contact and insurance information, and vehicle description. Your teen should avoid admitting fault, apologizing, or saying anything beyond providing his contact and insurance information.
Take pictures
Tell your teen to use his smartphone to take photos if it’s safe for him to do so, especially before the vehicles are moved. These pictures should show the damage from a few different angles, as well as the road, intersection, street signs, and any skid marks. Photos should include the damage and license plate in the same shot.
Contact an attorney
You and your teen should set up a consultation with an attorney to receive help with your claim. To learn more about what the law offices of Steve M. Lee, P.C., can do for you, visit us on Facebook.