Things You Want to Do When You Encounter An Accident on the Road
For car owners in Metro Manila, it is somewhat a sigh of relief to have your own car, your own personal space, and basically means to escape the worsening MRT situation. Ever heard of #MRTBulok? What used to be a convenient means of transportation is now a dilapidated train system. This is why having your own car can be such a convenient option.
But of course, traversing major highways in Metro Manila can still get tricky. You have so many factors to deal with. You have heavy traffic, not to mention undisciplined public and private drivers as well.
Heard of the car that was smashed by a bus in EDSA recently? That’s just one of the worst-case scenarios that could happen if you ever opt to drive your own car in the jungles of Metro Manila. So what can you do when your car gets into an accident?
Safety First
The first thing that you need to do is to ensure that everyone is safe inside the vehicle. If you are driving with family members, check if they have injuries. If the possibility of neck or spine injury has been ruled out, it is imperative that you get out of the vehicle. If there is a possibility of injuries, it is ideal that you call for help. Medical practitioners should be the ones who will move injured individuals who appeared to have sustained injuries in the neck and spine. Some roadside assistance coverage has some features of organizing an ambulance service for you.
Document everything that happened
Once you have guaranteed the safety of your family members, it is imperative that you stay calm and not lose your cool. Regardless if you think it is your fault or not, you have to document the accident by getting all the details correctly. What is the plate number of the involved vehicle or the details of the driver? What happened exactly that led to the mishap? Get every single detail correctly. If you can write everything down on paper, or if you could type it on your phone, you should do this.
Its also recommended to call the police and secure a police report. This is vital for your insurance claims.
Call your insurance company/Agent
Here’s when insurance will come in handy. There are options when you have car insurance. For instance, if the car has been wrecked, you could either receive money equivalent to the actual fair market value of the car if it is totaled or receive reimbursements for the repairs.
According to the MMDA, there are 227 road accidents in the Philippines daily. That is roughly 82,855 accidents annually. Drunk driving, poor decision making, over speeding, and mechanical malfunctions are just some of the most common reasons why you could be part of this statistic.
If you want one less worry, it is imperative to drive defensively and have your own car insurance. If you are the kind of car owner who believes in bahala na, then most likely, you are going to regret your decisions after you took part in an accident.
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