7 Tips to remember when in an accident

For this reason, Maponya 911 emergency services put together seven tips that readers can print out and keep in the car or save on their cell phone if you are ever involved in an accident.

Stop

You need to stop immediately. This will help you assess the situation and decide what the next step might be. A driver who fails to stop after an accident when required to do so by law is liable to be prosecuted, and if convicted, receive a hefty fine or be sent to prison for up to nine years, or even both.

Stay calm

It’s very difficult to stay calm, but try your utmost best. When you stay calm, it helps you to think clearly, it subdues the situation and you remain focused on the facts and bring comfort to your loved ones.

Assess injuries. Assess if you or anyone else might have sustained injuries and where the injuries might be. Injuries may be internal or external. If a person is injured, provide whatever assistance that you are capable of until emergency services arrive.

You may also want to read: N1 crash outside Modimolle claims 2 lives

Call the authorities

Depending on the scale of the accident, you might have to phone the police and an ambulance service immediately.

If you do not give this information to the police or traffic officer at the scene of the accident, you must report the collision at a police station or at an authorised office of a traffic officer within 24 hours with your driver’s licence. If there has been a collision involving two vehicles and nobody is injured, the drivers may decide to pay for their own repairs and to forgo a claim against each other. The police need not be called to the scene of such an accident, but it must be reported by both drivers at a police station within 24 hours.

Take notes of the incident

Pictures, date, time and the place the accident occurred, the other vehicles’ make, model and colour, registration number, details of the owner of the other motor vehicle, if not the driver – i.e. name, address and telephone numbers (home, work or cell phone).

You may also want to read: Toddler (4) injured in N1 accident, ‘critical but stable’

Name, address and telephone numbers (home, work or cell phone) of any witnesses, name of police or traffic officer, if present, and their police station and the name or telephone number of the towing operator.

Insurance

Phone your insurer, tell them about the accident and provide all the relevant information they might need.

Afterwards

At the time of the accident, there might be internal and or external injuries, but often we forget about the emotional injuries and scars someone might have sustained during the accident. Make an appointment with any relevant medical practitioners to receive adequate help and assistance.

Keep a list of emergency numbers on your mobile phone.