Being involved in an accident with a pedestrian can be a traumatic experience, particularly if you are at-fault. Whether the accident was caused by your negligence or recklessness, understanding how to handle the situation is key to protecting yourself, your vehicle, and the pedestrian. In this post, we’ll cover what steps you should take if you find yourself at-fault in a car vs. pedestrian accident.
Call 911 and Stay on the Scene of the Accident
If you are involved in an accident with a pedestrian, one of the most important things you can do is call 911 immediately and stay on the scene until medical help arrives. Staying on the scene will not only save time as responders can get to you quickly but it also shows that you have made an effort to help the injured person. If possible, try to provide first aid until medical personnel arrive.
Take Pictures and Gather Evidence for Insurance Purposes
It’s also important to take pictures of the accident and any other evidence from the scene (including skid marks) that could be used later for insurance and legal purposes. This documentation will help prove that an accident occurred and could be used later for legal purposes if necessary. Additionally, exchange information with the others involved such as names, contact numbers, license plate number, insurance information etc., so that insurance companies have all relevant information regarding who was involved in the incident.
Report The Accident To Your Insurance Company
Once all necessary information has been exchanged and documented at the scene of the accident it’s time to make sure your insurance company is aware of what happened so they can begin their investigation into who is liable for damages incurred during the incident. Depending on where you live and what type of coverage you have, there may be different requirements regarding when and how you report an incident like this so make sure to check with your insurer before providing any details about what happened during or after your car vs. pedestrian accident.
Final Thoughts
Being involved in a car vs. pedestrian accident can be a very stressful situation regardless of whether or not you are at fault for causing it; however, following these steps will help ensure that everything is handled properly so that everyone affected by it gets fair compensation according to their rights under law. Take pictures of all damage caused by both cars involved in the incident; exchange contact information with every person present; call 911 right away; provide first aid as needed; report all details accurately to your insurance company; and finally make sure that everyone stays safe until medical personnel arrive on scene if necessary—following these steps will guarantee that justice is served no matter who’s at fault for causing the crash!
