Car accidents are never planned. But once they happen, there are things that can prove useful, and even vital. While you can’t predict when a car accident might happen, you can be prepared for the inevitable.
Here are 7 things you should keep in your car to make sure you’re prepared in the event of an accident.
- A notebook and pen
A notebook and a pen are useful because they’ll allow you to jot down notes about what happened (address, weather, what you recall, etc.), the other driver’s information (name, address, phone number, and insurance information), and any witness information (names, addresses, phone numbers, brief statements of what they saw). This information will all prove helpful later, when determining fault and talking to a car accident lawyer about your case. By writing it all down at the scene, you ensure that nothing is forgotten or misremembered.
- Cell phone
Your cell phone will prove handy for many reasons. You can call 911 if someone is severely injured, or the local police number to report the accident. You can take photos (if it’s a smart phone) of the damage, the surrounding area, and any mitigating factors that might have contributed to the accident (a shrub that covers a stop sign, for example). If the pen from the first item on this list is empty, you can take the same notes in your phone (but it’ll be easier to write things down, plus you can pass the notebook off to others to fill in their info, while you may not want to hand your phone to strangers).
- A camera
Depending on where your phone is when the accident happens, and the severity of the accident, you may find your phone’s been damaged. Or perhaps the battery is simply dead. Either way, a backup camera in the glove compartment would be useful. It can be digital or old-fashioned film, but a camera that allows you to take the above mentioned photos right after the accident will help your case later. Returning to the scene another time may find changes (such as that shrub being cut back) that make it harder to prove what you claim. You’ll want these pictures to show your car accident lawyer later, whether you’re at fault and proving a mitigating factor, or the victim trying to prove how negligent the other driver was. It is of paramount importance to take photos of all damage to both vehicles.
- Insurance information
Your insurance information should always be in your vehicle anyway, but it’s critical during an accident. While many states have begun accepting an image of your insurance info from your insurance company’s phone app as proof of insurance, during an accident, being able to exchange paper copies of that information will be much easier.
- Vehicle registration
The vehicle’s registration is another document that should always be in your vehicle. It proves that your vehicle is valid to be driven, and everything is up to date. This is important when you’ve been in an accident, because without it, the police will issue a ticket for that, on top of any other tickets they may be issuing for the accident. Whether you’re at-fault or not, the last thing you want is a ticket for not having your registration.
- A first aid kit
While paramedics may be called for severe injuries, someone might have only minor cuts or scrapes that don’t need more than some antiseptic and a bandage. But first aid kits also come with shock blankets, which may be helpful for someone who is more severely injured while waiting for the paramedics. You may also need the aspirin for a headache that comes with dealing with the accident.
- The contact information for a good car accident lawyer
You’ll want to get a lawyer on your side and working on your case as soon as possible. The insurance company will do everything they can to minimize your claim and they will start investigating the accident immediately. The sooner you call and get an attorney in your corner of the fight, the sooner we can get started with our case.
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