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By Julia Clarkson

A car accident is never easy to deal with, whether it is a simple fender bender or something more serious. Knowing what to do after a car accident in Rochester can help you to be prepared for every type of car accident. Regardless of the circumstances, you can better handle a car accident in Rochester if you follow these steps.

The Risk of A Car Accident is Real For Everyone

You may think that you are a safe driver, and you may be a very safe driver, but the fact is you are not the only one on the road. There are an estimated 6 million car accidents every year in the United States. Of course, not every car accident results in injuries, but a large portion of accidents result in property damage.

The degree of damage largely depends on the circumstances of the car accident. For example, a fully-loaded semi can carry a load of about 18,000 pounds. If you are hit by a semi, you can guarantee it will be catastrophic. Getting hit by a compact car as you are parking may just scratch and dent your vehicle. The point is there is a good chance that you will eventually be involved in a car accident. It can happen to you. Be prepared by learning what you should do after an accident.

Safety First

If you are in a moving car accident, the first thing you should do is get to a safe spot. If your vehicle can be moved to the side of the road, you should move your vehicle to the side of the road. If your vehicle is disabled and you can get out of the car, get out of the car and get to a safe spot. Safety should be your priority after an accident in Rochester. Get you and your vehicle out of harm’s way if you can.

Call the Police

In small accidents, it can be tempting to just switch information with the other driver and be on your way. If there is no noticeable damage to your vehicle, this can be an option. However, if there is damage, you absolutely should file a police report. It is not unheard of in Rochester for people to drive around without insurance and to provide false information at an accident scene. You need a police report to protect yourself. Your insurance company will need a copy of the police report.

Call an Attorney

If your Rochester car accident has resulted in an injury, you should call a lawyer to represent you in the matter. Some people think that they can handle the accident and resulting claim on their own. It can be a grave mistake to try to manage the insurance companies without the support of an accident attorney in Rochester.

Keep in mind that insurance companies have an entire team of attorneys that they employ to help them find loopholes to deny claims. Negotiating an insurance claim after an auto accident without an attorney is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. You are largely unprepared unless you are an attorney yourself. Hire an attorney. Typically, you will pay zero dollars out of pocket and get a much better outcome for your claim.

Protect Yourself By Doing This

Get a dashcam. A dash camera can provide you with undeniable evidence of an accident and what occurred. It can protect you against false claims. State highway patrol cars use them. In 2000, about 11% (3400) state troopers had dash cams installed in their vehicles, today about 72% of state police have dash cams.

There are quite a few companies out there that offer cloud-connected cameras with great resolution (between 720-1080 pixels) at a low cost. It is well worth the investment to protect yourself as you drive around Rochester. There has been an uptick in “false” insurance claims over the last few years. You do not want to wind up becoming a victim, dash cams can help you to have the proof you need that you were not at fault in an accident.

The roads in Rochester can be full of risks. Take the time to learn how to mitigate the risks, drive safely, and what you should do if you are in a car accident.

Tags: Rochester, Rochester NY

This entry was posted on Monday, March 14th, 2022 at 9:26 am and is filed under Rochester News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.