I've been in a few minor accidents involving a car (getting rear ended, getting backed into, California rolling into the back of a Volvo while driving my mom home from the eye doctor...oops), and I'm proud to say that only one of them was my fault. Nobody was hurt and no airbags went off in those accidents.
Recently, I was involved in an accident with my speech coach on our way home from our tournament in Corpus Christi. It was a rather eventful weekend. I won a couple of awards, said goodbye to a few speech friends who are graduating from other schools, and visited with my dad who drove in from my hometown nearby. He even got to stay and watch my events and get an award at the ceremony. We headed home on Monday, the first official day of our Mardi Gras break. We left early since it's a pretty long drive. We did well on timing, and during the afternoon, we made it into Rosenberg, a town outside of Houston. The area of Highway 59 that we were driving on was under extensive road construction. An oversize load truck sped onto the highway via on ramp and cut off several vehicles, and they all had to brake. We saw the stopped vehicles, and I knew the impact was going to be bad when my coach slammed the brakes. I shut my eyes and braced myself for the hit. I felt it, heard what sounded like a gun shot, and felt a tap on our back bumper. After everything stopped, I opened my eyes and saw the airbags out, a lot of smoke, and that my coach and I were alive. He got out immediately to get the processing part started. He shut his door, and I tried to open mine, but it wouldn't open. I was banging on the window and calling for him to open the door. It was hard to breathe with the smoke and fumes filling the car. He didn't hear me, and opened the back hatch to make sure our stuff was okay (it was). I told him I couldn't open my door and to please come open it for me and it's hard to breathe. He came around to my side, and yanked my door open. I got out and got involved in the processing. We were the sandwich vehicle. I helped him treat his cuts and wash off the chemical burn on his arm. Traffic was backed up for miles. It was crazy that I was involved in this. I always thought I'd be the commuter trying to drive past it, and not one who was in it.
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I'm glad that no one was seriously injured, and that the other two vehicles could drive away. I also learned a few things about what to do after a car accident. I have a few dos and don'ts for car crashes, according to State Farm and How Stuff Works. Know that you have certain rights in this kind of incident.
What You Should Do:
1. Stay calm.
It is hard to do, but keeping calm will help you think clearly and talk to police about the incident.
2. Call the police.
Even if the accident is minor, the other person's insurance could be fake or expired, which could hurt you in the long run. This is why the cops should know.
3. Call your insurance agent.
4. Check yourself (and your passenger) for any injuries.
Injuries could be anything from cuts and bruises to broken bones or intense internal pain. Injuries in an accident can depend on many factors.
5. If you or your passenger(s) have serious injuries, get an ambulance.
It is important to make sure that serious injuries are taken care of as soon as possible. If your pain is internal, it could be minor or major. Accident Doctor states that seat belts can cause internal and external bruising, or even head injury. When in doubt, get (medically) checked out.
6. If the accident was minor, move vehicles to the side of the road or exit off, if you can.
If you were involved in a fender bender, move it off the road way. There isn't a reason to block traffic for a bumper with a scuff mark.
7. Document
Take photos of damage on cars, any visible injuries on you (or your passenger's) body, and take down any other's information (drivers license, insurance, etc).
What You Shouldn't Do
1. Sign Anything
Do not sign anything or let an insurance company record you speaking. You have the right to deny this. It could lead to you signing a settlement, or anything you say can be used against you, according to Edgar Snyder.
2. Discuss It
Don't talk about what happened with the other person (or people) involved. It can lead to lying to authorities and conspiring amongst the group. If you discuss it, only do it with the cops.
3. Leave the Scene
This is actually illegal, and is defined as a hit and run. You can get into trouble with the law.
4. Apologize or Cast Blame
Apologizing is polite, however, it can make you look like you did something wrong. Blaming the other person will lead to tension in the situation, even if it is their fault.
I am glad that my coach and I are okay. So far, processing has started on campus. His cuts are bruising up. I had a chest x-ray and found that nothing was broken, but I had severe internal bruising from the seatbelt and whip lash on my upper back. I thought we were going to die with the impact. I'm glad that him and I are safe, and that the other two men in the vehicles are fine too. It could've been so much worse, but I'm glad it wasn't.
