What to Do During An Accident

Step 1

Stay calm. This is not easy, but you HAVE to. This usually determines how the situation will turn out. The other party may be raging mad, yet staying calm and keeping your cool helps ease the tension. So take a deep breathe, stay calm.

Step 2

Check if you or your passengers are injured, and call for emergency medical help (like the ambulance) if necessary. Then approach the other driver and check if he or his passengers are injured.

Step 3

Do not remove vehicles unless it’s necessary to extricate people (perhaps from inside the car or under the vehicle) or send the injured to hospital.

Step 4

Exchange information with the other driver – vehicle registration number, name of driver & NRIC, contact number, insurance company and policy number. Do not apologise or admit any faults and do not argue over who’s wrong. Keep silent ESPECIALLY if the other party pressures you or threatens you.

Step 5

Take photographs of the accident site, damage on vehicles, tire skid marks on the road, et cetera, if you have a camera on hand.

Step 6

Report the accident to your insurer immediately after the accident.

If there is any personal injury, you must lodge a police report within 24 hours of the accident. Hopefully there isn’t any injury – and in this case, a “Non-Injury Motor Accident Report” will have to be submitted through your insurer. (The staff at your insurance company’s office will know what to do) Ideally, witnesses and passengers should also make reports, which helps with investigation.

BUT if the accident is just a small dent at the back of your bumper, please exchange information, take a quick snapshot from your handphone, and move your vehicle away. Small damages are not worth claiming – and take note that you can’t make claims if the damage doesn’t exceed the excess amount.

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