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What to do if you get in a Vehicular Collision

It’s an unfortunate circumstance that happens to the best of us. Sometimes, with the crazy levels of traffic and congestion we see in Toronto, vehicular collisions occur. If this happens to you while driving, and there haven’t been any serious injuries, there are a few things you should do in the event of an accident in order to have the best outcome from a bad moment.

Below, see our advice on what should happen after you get in a minor accident.

 Woman Phoning For Help After Car Windshield Has Broken

  1. Move As Far Away From Oncoming Traffic As Possible

If you get in a fender bender or have a similarly small collision, and it’s possible for both drivers to move their vehicles out of the collision area, you should do so as soon as possible. Not only will this cut down on traffic congestion, but fewer obstacles on the road, including your vehicle, will mean that a second incident will be less likely to occur.

Most importantly, getting yourself out of harm’s way is essential. A collision, however small, can be very disorienting to you and those around you and can disrupt the regular flow of traffic. If you can, it’s best to move your vehicle out of the traffic as soon as possible – you can assess what happened with the other driver after you’re both no longer in the middle of the road. Staying next to or inside of your vehicle in the same place where the collision occurred can be very dangerous. As noted earlier, regular traffic flow is disrupted, which increases the likelihood of another accident, including another hit to you and your vehicle – move yourself and, if possible, your car out of the way as safely and as quickly as you can.

woman using mobile smartphone take photo car crash accident

  1. If Possible, Document What You Can

Once you’re safely out of the road, use your phone to document as much as you can about the incident. This will be essential for fault determination and for protecting yourself in the event that police or the courts become involved after the accident. Take videos of your car and the other car, as well as photos, and even take photos of the other driver and their license plate and driver’s license if they’ll allow it. If you are documenting the incident, you must also be willing to allow the other driver to take their own photos and videos in the name of fairness. The incident has already occurred, so there’s no point in concealing information or refusing to provide the necessary details to the other driver – what’s done is done.

Car accident with shattered front windshield

  1. Don’t Touch Any Broken Parts of Either Car

It seems like an obvious point to make, but it can be tempting to inspect your vehicle close up, and with your hands, following an accident. Be sure that you don’t touch any parts of your car or the other driver’s car that have been damaged. The first reason is, of course, safety – you may cut yourself on broken glass or metal, which will only add to the stress of the day. Second, you may end up accidentally altering or increasing the extent of the damage, which will not bode well for you regardless of whether or not you are at fault. If you are at fault, you don’t want to cause more damage to the vehicle, and if you aren’t at fault, you don’t want to be seen as tampering with any potential evidence for police or your insurance company after the accident occurred.

Light bulbs broken back car

  1. Consult Online With Your Local Police Website to See if They Should Be Involved

In the disorientation that follows a collision, it can be tough to know what to do or who should be involved. Different municipalities and their police forces have different guidelines as to when officers should be contacted in the event of an incident. If you and the other driver are unsure if a police report is necessary, first consult the website of your local police force to see what their guidance is regarding a vehicular collision. If it’s still unclear after taking a look at the site, call your local 411 provider, or look for a number on the police website that will take you to someone in the service information department. For non-life threatening collisions, you should never call 911, as this will tie up the operators with an unnecessary call. This type of call can also end up costing you, depending on your local bylaws about non-essential calls to emergency service lines. 

  1. Get in Touch With Your Insurance Provider as Soon as Possible

You should report a vehicular accident as soon as possible to your insurance provider, regardless of whether or not you are at fault. Delaying the process can have consequences, and many providers have rules about how quickly they should be contacted. It’s also important to contact them as soon as possible so that the claim can start making its way through the system – the sooner you get in touch, the quicker you’ll have the issue resolved with all parties involved.

Shards of car glass on the street

Repairs Needed? Give Us a Call

If you’ve suffered a broken windshield or another broken window after a collision, North York Auto Glass is here to help. We specialize in windshield and broken glass replacement, and can source new glass for every car brand and model on the market. In the event that you have a smaller crack on your windshield or another window, and don’t need a full replacement, we also have a mobile repair team who can come to you and do the fix right onsite.

In order to see if you qualify for this service, or if you should bring your vehicle into our repair shop, get in touch with our team.