Safety when driving is something every driver knows they should adopt. However, no matter how safety conscious you are, you never know when you’ll get into a car accident. It could happen when you’re running errands, on your way to work, or when driving late at night. The unpredictability of crashes is why our Nashville car accident lawyers advise drivers to be always prepared.
Preparation is quite crucial because you might not be able to call for help immediately. An example is getting in an accident when traveling on a rural highway with no cell reception. In such a situation, you may have to step up to care for yourself and any other person involved. But you’ll need certain items to deal with the emergency as best as you can.
This article discusses a few items you want to have with you in case of a car accident. Then, if you’re the crash victim, contact a Nashville auto accident attorney to learn of your legal options and available compensation.
Four Things To Keep in Your Car in Case of an Accident
Although no one can predict when they will be in a traffic accident, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Below, we discuss four things to have with you always in case of car accident emergencies.
Important Paper Work and Personal Information
It’s not uncommon to see crash victims get a Jane Doe status immediately after the accident. This is because there was no way for the responding law enforcement officers to identify them. Thus, you should always carry a means of identification and other important paperwork with you.
Aside from first responders identifying you, the documents would come in handy when you need to exchange personal and insurance information with the other driver. As such, ensure you always have the following in your car:
- Driver’s license
- Vehicle registration
- Proof of auto insurance and insurer’s contact information
You may also choose to have a pen and paper for taking notes. Usually, the latter would be the other driver’s information and witness statements, and contact information. While your cell phone might be useful to record details, you can decide to have a portable recorder as an alternative should the crash ruin your phone.
First Aid Kit
The wise thing to do after a car accident is call 911. But in a situation where there is no reception or the first responders are not available because of many calls, what do you do? This is where a first aid kit comes in handy.
With a first aid kit, you can treat minor injuries. However, you may also be able to provide treatment for a severely injured person while waiting for help. For example, you can clean injury sites to avoid infections or use a tourniquet to reduce blood loss.
You can prepare a first aid kit yourself or buy one from a store. Either way, a good first aid kit should have:
- Bandages of different sizes
- Alcohol and iodine wipes
- Gauze dressing
- Aspirin and other over the counter pain med
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Sutures
- Splints
- CPR mouthpiece
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Burn ointment
Car Care and Emergency Items
After verifying everyone’s safety in a car accident, it’s best to move them away from the crash site to a safe place. This might be the slow traffic lane, a side of the road, or a parking area. Next, you need to alert oncoming traffic of the accident to avoid another collision.
To do this, you need emergency items like traffic cones and flashlights. You can also turn on your vehicle’s hazard lights. We do not advise hand signals because you might get hit by a driver who fails to see you in time. We recommend having the following emergency and car care items:
- CB or weather radio
- Toolkit
- Jumper cables
- Batteries
- Emergency flares
- Duct tapes
- Bungee cords
- Reflective gear
- Energy bars
- Water
- Emergency blanket
- Matches or lighters
- Rain poncho
- Change of clothes, especially socks, hat, and a warm jacket
Other Personal Items
Many people have a list of personal items they always take with them, especially in emergencies. If you don’t, you should create one, but ensure it would be useful in a car accident. In addition to whatever you come up with, we suggest adding:
- Medicine like insulin, extra inhaler, or heart medication
- Cell phone or charger
- Cash
- Umbrella
- A hard copy of emergency phone numbers
Get Help From Nashville Personal Injury Lawyers
Our Nashville personal injury attorneys understand that you could still get in a car accident no matter how well you prepare. However, if the crash results from another driver’s negligence, we’ll help you get the maximum compensation. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.