I've just crashed my car! What do I do?  - John Macadam & son

Car accidents happen every single day. Yet, if you’re involved in one, it’s hard to know what to do first. First of all, don’t panic. Easier said than done, we know! Pull over your car as soon as possible and take some deep breaths. Put your hazards on so other road users know you’re there.  

Assess the situation. Is anyone hurt? This includes yourself, passengers and also people in the other car. If there are injuries, call an ambulance as soon as possible. If the accident is blocking the road, call the police too. You probably know you need to exchange details, but do you know precisely what you need to give?  

• Your name, address and any contact details are essential, and you need to gather the same information from the other driver.  
• Note down registration numbers of all the cars involved, including the make, models and colours of the cars. Also take the car insurance details of the other driver/s. 
• Take a note of the weather conditions and anything else that could have affected the road conditions, and lastly detail the damage to each car.  
• If there is no other driver and you’ve crashed into a parked car, you should always leave your details on their windscreen or another safe place. 

That’s a lot of notes to take down, so ensure you always keep a notepad and pen in your glovebox. If you’re caught without one, use the notes app on your phone! Your phone may also come in handy to take images of the crash. If there are any witnesses that are happy to support your claim, ensure you take down their contact details. 

You should contact your insurance company and notify them about the accident as soon as you can. Failing to do this may leave you with a bill, so make sure you check your policy to see what the time frame is for this. 

Once all the information has been gathered, and you’ve done all you can, you may need to get your car sorted and back on the road. Macadams is here to help you – from vehicle recovery to accident repairs. Save our number into your phone and give us a call should you ever need us.