As we draw closer towards the winter months, hazards on our roads increase due to reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a novice on your Restricted Licence or a driver with 30 plus years’ driving experience; anybody can be prone to crash which means we need to be more aware of what to be on the lookout for.
No matter how serious, being in a car crash is a frightening experience. In the event of a crash, it’s important to remember the basics to prevent an already tricky situation getting much worse.
Five important things to remember in a more serious crash:
1) Safety of occupants is paramount
After an accident, your first priority is to check if anyone is injured and requires assistance. Call the police/ambulance if people have been injured, or *555 if it’s not an emergency.
Turn on your hazard lights as well as your headlights so other motorists can see you’re experiencing an issue. If your vehicle is able to be moved, move it to the side of the road out of the way of traffic.
2) Notes count
When another car crashes into yours, you’re most likely to be shaken up. Writing down what happened is probably the last thing on your mind. However, if you can manage to write down some detailed notes about what happened in the car accident, it will create a much more accurate record of the events than if you rely on memory alone. The AA Roadservice mobile app has an accident component for doing exactly this, so if you have your phone handy, simply record the details in the app.
Swap details with other driver(s) including name, address, contact number, insurance company details, registration number, vehicle colour, make and model. Don’t admit liability or try to settle a claim yourself; this may limit how your insurance company can sort things out with anyone else involved and may invalidate your claim.
Don’t forget to seek details from any eye witnesses too as they often hold key information that can be helpful in a dispute.
3) Pictures speak a thousand words
If possible, take some photos of the location, the accident damage, the orientation of the vehicles on the road and other relevant information such as number plates and driver licences. The AA Roadservice mobile app accident component includes a place for storing photos, too.
4) Sketch it
You don’t need to be the late Pablo Picasso to draw up a quick sketch of what happened, like which way the cars were moving when the accident occurred. Do this while the event is fresh in your memory as you might be asked to recall this information from the police or insurance companies.
5) Pick up the phone
Get on the phone to your insurance company. Remember that they’ll use the evidence and description you have produced to help determine liability. In many cases it can be a complex scenario. When there are multiple vehicles involved it can get a little tricky determining who’s liable for what. This is where having insurance really pays off. At AA Insurance, it's quick and easy for the policyholder to make a claim online.
Light bumps and grazes
Another common but less serious crash is the classic nose-to-tail. These accidents occur daily across New Zealand, and are more common within areas of high traffic. If you find yourself in this unlucky situation, turn your hazard lights on and move off the road as soon as it’s safe to do so - you don’t want to be the person responsible for holding up the motorway for half an hour.
Similar to a larger scale collision, take some notes and photos to ensure you have all of the facts covered. If there are witnesses, record the names and contact numbers of all those who saw the crash in case you run into any insurance obstacles further down the line.
This kind of accident can often cause other drivers to be distracted and collide themselves or slow down traffic. Just the presence of two mildly damaged vehicles on the side of the road will cause rubberneckers to slow down to gawk at the scene.
Unfortunately, it’s safe to say that crashes are more likely to happen in winter conditions, but you can mitigate this by becoming aware of winter road conditions and know what to do in the event of an accident. The important thing to do in any accident is to remain calm to reduce the chance of further danger to both yourself and other road users.
How can the AA help?
- AA Auto Centre - aa.co.nz/autocentre
- AA Insurance - aa.co.nz/insurance
- AA Auto Glass - aa.co.nz/autoglass
- AA Membership - aa.co.nz/membership
- AA Roadservice - aa.co.nz/roadservice