Simple fights or bodily injuries, road accidents automatically generate stress, even total panic. You rented a car and had a collision or an accident. Are you anxious? Don’t stress. It can happen to anyone. The important thing is what to do if something goes wrong. Any rental agreement for a vehicle includes damage insurance. But what are the actions to adopt when an accident occurs? Keeping your cool is essential. After that, contact your auto insurance to inform them of the loss and the damage caused.
Here’s what to do in the event of an accident with a rental or your own car.
Be calm and stay at the scene
After an accident, you may be angry, stress, nervous, or shocked. So, first of all, stay calm if you want to deal with the situation better. Breathe in breathe out. If the accident involves another driver, be as courteous as you want them to be!
Don’t leave the venue whether you caused an accident or not because it can cause serious criminal penalties. The punishment of leaving the injured person on the spot varies from state to state. However, in general, the sentence is $5000 to $2000 fine with 15 years’ imprisonment.
Secure the premises
The first thing to do in a traffic accident is to take safety measures:
- Turn on your hazard lights to be visible to other motorists.
- Turn off the vehicle’s engine.
- Put on fluorescent safety vests and exit the vehicle.
- Install the warning triangle at least 30 meters away.
If the accident is due to a traffic violation, notify the police who will draw up a report by dialing 130. On the motorway, use the emergency call points.
Check the injuries
The most important thing to do after a car accident is to determine any injury. Check out if you, your passengers, or other driver receive any injury. If anyone of you is unconscious or feeling neck pain, immediately call for an ambulance.
If you are going to the emergency room yourself or seeing your family doctor, keep all medical certificates. Also, make a copy of all physician fees and pharmacy bills and record all charges incurred.
Call the police
No matter in which state you’re in, call the police as soon as possible. Even it looks like a fender-bender or a severe accident involving death, injury, or property damage, filling a report is essential for insurance. It is advisable to ask the police for a copy of the hearing report, mentioning all the parties concerned and their insurance data. If it is not possible to obtain a copy of the report, ask the police officer for the report’s number.
Exchange your contact details and note down what happened
Once you’re sure that everyone is safe, take the next step to share your contact details with anyone involved in the incident.
If you hit a parked car, leave a note under the wiper. If other people or vehicles are involved, make sure everyone exchanges registration numbers, make and models of vehicle. Also, exchange the contact detail like names, addresses, and phone numbers. Take note of the following:
- Color, make, and model of all vehicles involved.
- Date and time of the accident
- Description of weather conditions, road conditions, and any public lighting
- Any damage to vehicles and property
- Any injury suffered by drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Be sure you have obtained all the information that requires to claim insurance.
Take photos
Photos are optional but may prove useful later. They will make it possible to specify certain information mentioned in the accident report: poor visibility, road works, or provisional signs. Pay close attention to objective recognition points, such as a visible street name, house number. Also, consider the direction of the cars involved. Photograph the affected vehicles with road signs and road markings.
Report the accident to the insurance
Each driver involved in an accident must make a declaration to his insurance within 5 days of the accident. This declaration can be made by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt or directly to the insurance company’s office.
What to do of you have an accident with a rental car?
When you have an accident with a rental vehicle, it is necessary, as with a personal vehicle, to fill out a report. Whether you are responsible or not, you will be asked by the lessor.
Report the accident to the rental company
Every rental company leaves an emergency telephone number available to its customers. This is done so that their customers can call them as soon as possible in the event of an accident. Agency officials will help you determine whether you can get back on the road (if it’s just crumpled metal, for example) or need help. In the second case, do not leave the vehicle on the spot.
If the accident happens with a rental car: who pays what?
Having an accident with a rental car is to wonder, very quickly, how much it will cost us. The answer to this question depends on his responsibility for the accident, and the contract is taken out.
If you are not responsible
If you weren’t responsible for the accident, that’s easy. You have nothing to pay: the responsible driver’s insurance will cover the cost of repairs and any compensation.
If you are responsible
If you are responsible for the accident, your costs will depend on the lessor’s contract:
With a basic contract, you will only be covered for damage caused to others. Yours and those of the rented vehicle will be at your expense.
With a contract with additional insurance, all damage, bodily, or related to the vehicles involved will be covered (within limits set by the agreement). You will only have to pay the excess amount, which varies according to the chosen offer. The lower the excess, the more expensive the rental).
An accident can frighten even the most experienced driver. However, following these steps can help you avoid unnecessary hassles.
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