Q.
If my car is involved in a car accident or is damaged on the highway, is it safe for me to stay in the car or should I get out?
A.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 16% of fatalities in the United States occur on highways each year. Even minor accidents on highways can be extremely dangerous, especially when drivers are out of their cars. And it’s not uncommon for drunk or distracted drivers to crash into parked cars on the highway, causing serious injuries or death to people standing near the parked cars.
After a car accident, take a deep breath to stay calm. If you are calm, you will be able to handle the situation better. This is the time to focus on keeping you and your family safe and gathering immediate information about the accident.
What to bring: Carry a set of cones, caution signs, or emergency lights in the trunk to alert other drivers.
Make sure everyone in the car is wearing their seat belts. If your car can go to the edge of the road, it is best to get to the edge as much as possible. If you are out of your car on the highway, move to the safest place possible in case your car collides with another car. Otherwise, get back as quickly as possible and keep your seat belt on until help arrives. Typically, when an accident occurs on a highway, the California Highway Patrol will arrive.
If you must exit your vehicle, get out as quickly as possible, move away from the vehicle, and stay behind a wall if possible. However, you should only exit your vehicle if it is safe to do so.
Immediately leave a note about the accident, including the car, injuries, insurance information, car registration information, car model, witness information, and license plate number. Be polite to the other party, but do not tell anyone that you were at fault, even if you were. California law requires that you exchange car insurance information, even if you were not at fault for the accident.
Car accidents are unexpected and stressful, even to the most careful drivers. The most important thing to remember when you are involved in an accident on the highway is to stay calm, assess the situation, and focus on making sure you and your passengers are wearing seatbelts.
And after you've gathered information about your car accident, it's a good idea to consult with an attorney about your case before reporting the accident to your insurance company.
Q.
If my car is involved in a car accident or is damaged on the highway, is it safe for me to stay in the car or should I get out?
A.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 16% of fatalities in the United States occur on highways each year. Even minor accidents on highways can be extremely dangerous, especially when drivers are out of their cars. And it’s not uncommon for drunk or distracted drivers to crash into parked cars on the highway, causing serious injuries or death to people standing near the parked cars. After a car accident, take a deep breath to stay calm. If you are calm, you will be able to handle the situation better. This is the time to focus on keeping you and your family safe and gathering immediate information about the accident. What to bring: Carry a set of cones, caution signs, or emergency lights in the trunk to alert other drivers. Make sure everyone in the car is wearing their seat belts. If your car can go to the edge of the road, it is best to get to the edge as much as possible. If you are out of your car on the highway, move to the safest place possible in case your car collides with another car. Otherwise, get back as quickly as possible and keep your seat belt on until help arrives. Typically, when an accident occurs on a highway, the California Highway Patrol will arrive. If you must exit your vehicle, get out as quickly as possible, move away from the vehicle, and stay behind a wall if possible. However, you should only exit your vehicle if it is safe to do so. Immediately leave a note about the accident, including the car, injuries, insurance information, car registration information, car model, witness information, and license plate number. Be polite to the other party, but do not tell anyone that you were at fault, even if you were. California law requires that you exchange car insurance information, even if you were not at fault for the accident. Car accidents are unexpected and stressful, even to the most careful drivers. The most important thing to remember when you are involved in an accident on the highway is to stay calm, assess the situation, and focus on making sure you and your passengers are wearing seatbelts. And after you've gathered information about your car accident, it's a good idea to consult with an attorney about your case before reporting the accident to your insurance company.