So how can you ensure that you know what to do when you’ve been in a minor automobile accident, also known as a fender bender? At Freedom National, we want you to be fully prepared for anything that life throws at you, and that includes minor car accidents and collisions with other vehicles and drivers. That’s why we’ve created this guide that will help you learn the most important steps to take to get safe, get the information you need, and help protect yourself.
What Classifies a Fender Bender?
Generally, a fender bender describes any minor vehicle accident between two cars where the damage to the vehicles is minimal and there are no injuries or only very minor ones. There’s no legal distinction between a fender bender and a more major accident, and insurance companies treat them much like any other claim.
Still, there is a process you’ll want to follow when you’re involved in one of these fender benders in order to make the process as safe and smooth as possible.
What to Do After a Fender Bender
Wondering what to do next after you’ve been in a fender bender? Don’t panic, just follow these steps in the order we’ve outlined here.
Get to Safety
Once you have your bearings, determine whether you can safely move your car to the side of the road or another safe location. In a major collision, your car may be unable to drive, in which case you should safely exit the car when you can and get you and any passengers to a safer location. You should also take a moment to check for any sparks, fires, or leaks resulting from the accident. If you see any of these things, get far away from the vehicle and immediately call 911.
If there is no sign of leaks or damage, determine whether anyone else in the accident is hurt or in danger. Assist them if necessary, but hopefully after a minor fender bender everyone will be simply shaken up rather than injured.
Get yourself to safety, then get your car to safety if necessary, and only then start worrying about the other details that come next.
Check for Injuries
Are you hurt? Are you able to move normally and without pain? If you’re unharmed, don’t immediately open your car door and hop out. Look out your windows and think about where you are. The accident may have pushed your car into a different lane of traffic, off the road, or directly into the middle of an intersection.
If you’re unharmed, the next step is to check on the other drivers or involved parties. Are they responsive and unharmed?
Report the Accident
Many drivers debate whether calling 911 is the right call in the context of a minor car accident, but at Freedom National we advise that you always take the initiative to call 911 when there’s an accident, no matter how minor or the circumstances involved. Some people are hesitant to call the police because they worry that they’re at fault in the accident. But even if this is the case, having the police present to document the exact facts of the incident can be beneficial to you down the line when it comes to determining liability and the details of what happened.
Not only that, but in many states it’s actually a legal requirement to call 911 in the event of an accident, no matter how minor it might be.
Responding officers will help ensure that everyone is safe, then fill out a full accident report and document the scene of the accident as accurately and completely as possible. In some situations, particularly with extremely minor accidents, police won’t be able to come to the scene in-person, in which case you’ll need to visit the nearest police station and file the report yourself.
Exchange Information
Next, it’s time to exchange information with the other driver or drivers involved in the incident.
This can be an uncomfortable moment, as the moments immediately following a fender bender can be filled with tension, frustration, and even anger if someone feels that another driver is at fault. Our recommendation is that you resist the urge to engage with these emotions. Don’t fall into a conversation about who’s at fault, who made which mistake, and who’s going to pay. That’s up to the insurers to decide, not you. Your responsibility is to obtain the driver’s information and document the circumstances of the case—not win an argument with the other driver about who did what.
Take Notes & Photos
Always, always, always take as many photos and detailed notes of the circumstances of the accident as you can. Even if there is no visible damage to either vehicle, you want evidence of this. It’s impossible to take too many photos, but many fail to help themselves by taking too little photos after a fender bender.
Start with the vehicles, including the damaged areas, license plates, makes and models, distinguishing characteristics, and the positioning of the vehicles in the road. These can all be essential in helping insurance claim adjusters determine who is at fault and what exactly transpired in the accident.
Don’t stop at the vehicles—take photos of the area surrounding where the accident occurred. This can include road markings, relevant street signs, stoplights, and even road name signs to help identify the exact location of where the accident happened.
Contact Your Insurance Agency
You want to contact your insurance agency as quickly as possible, not only because they’re here to help get your vehicle repaired and process the claim, but because there is often a statute of limitations after which you won’t be able to file a claim for an event that occurred. Many insurers now offer online or mobile claims processing, though you’ll probably still want to talk to them over the phone at some point in the process.
What Comes Next
Once the event itself is over and you’ve contacted your insurance representative, they’ll start the claims process. This will involve submitting all documentation, including police reports, notes, photos, your description of what occurred, and the other driver’s information as well.
Usually the next step will be getting an estimate on your vehicle. Your insurer will usually work with an auto body repair shop to determine what repairs need to be done and how much they’ll cost. Once this is complete, you and your insurer will authorize the repairs to move forward.
Don’t forget that you’ll need to pay your deductible outlined in your auto insurance policy. This is the amount you must pay before your insurance company agrees to cover the rest. Generally, your deductible is due at the time that the repairs are completed and you go to pick up your vehicle at the repair shop. In some cases, it may be due before repairs are completed.
How Car Insurance Agency’s Determine Fault
Insurance companies assess fault in fender benders in a variety of ways, but in some situations identifying who’s at fault in a fender bender can be less clean-cut than in others.
For example, if one vehicle is stopped at a red light and you ram into it from behind, the fault will likely land entirely on you. But if both vehicles are moving, assessing fault can be a little bit more difficult. Your insurer will often look for witnesses of the incident (one of the reasons gathering contact information from witnesses is important at the scene, especially if you’re the one who is not at fault.)
If eyewitness accounts say that one of the vehicles was driving inappropriately or illegally in the fender bender event, that driver is much more likely to receive blame for the incident.
Conclusion
At Freedom National, our mission isn’t just to provide cheap car insurance online for people all over the country. We want to help you become a more informed, safe, and confident driver, and that begins with knowing the secrets to vehicle safety, important insurance facts, and how to navigate the rules and regulations of your state or area.
If you want to learn more, explore our knowledge base for a range of articles to help you expand your car insurance expertise.
If you’re ready to receive a free online quote from Freedom National for vehicle and get coverage in minutes, get started now. Freedom National is one of the most trusted providers of cheap car insurance online in the nation, automatically comparing rates from several major and minor insurers to find you the best possible rate and coverage. We even help people get insured who may have negative events on their driving record, from DUIs to required SR-22s.
Get covered for less today, with Freedom National.
