Car accidents are already terrible, but having a car accident with kids in the back seat is every parent’s worst nightmare.
Driving carefully and following road rules is, of course, the best way to prevent this, but accidents are unpredictable. That’s why it’s important to have an action plan in place so that you’ll be prepared for this worst-case scenario.
Get a Medical Check Up Even If You All Feel Fine
So, imagine you have been involved in an accident. Obviously, your first priority is making sure that your children are ok and calling 911 if anyone is injured.
Whether you are in a giant wreck or a minor fender bender, you and your children need to be examined by a doctor after your shake up. Even if you all feel ok, it is important to get checked, especially for kids whose growing bodies may react to the stress or shock of a car accident differently than an adult.
This should all be covered by insurance, whether it is yours or the person who hit you. Once everyone who was in your vehicle gets assessed by a doctor, you’ll be able to rest much easier and move on from this traumatic event.
Collect Insurance Details and Identification
If you are able to, you need to gather the insurance and identification details of everyone involved. It is essential to have the names and linked insurances of every passenger and driver to make sure who needs to be billed for the damages. It is also helpful for your personal records, especially if you are not at fault or someone tries to make a false or exaggerated claim later.
If you are driving with your partner or another adult, one of you should stay with the kids in the car while the other collects the information.
Take Pictures of The Accident
For your own benefit, it can also be helpful to collect the plate numbers of both vehicles and take pictures of the damage to both of the cars that have been involved. This makes it harder for someone to falsify a claim or damage after the fact.
Additionally, it can be helpful to you because high-stress moments like these can often become blurred memories later. This concrete evidence of what happened in the form of written insurance and photos of the damage will be a big help.
Consider Seeking Legal Help
After you deal with the appropriate authorities, you might consider legal help. You can search the internet for firms in your area or look for firms that specialize in child automobile accidents like the Miller Firm LLC, a national practice that employs both doctors and lawyers to work on trials together.
If your children were injured in the accident, your main focus should be on taking care of them – working with a legal team can help take a burden off your shoulders so that you only have to worry about your child’s wellbeing.
Replace Your Child’s Car Seat
Lastly, if your car was damaged, chances are your child’s car seat was damaged too. The damaged seat may not protect them in the event of another crash, so it’s always a good idea to replace it. Most insurance policies will cover the cost of a new car seat after an accident.
Final Thoughts
All in all, while it may be unpleasant to think about, being prepared for a situation like this especially when children may be involved is so so important. You’re doing the right thing by thinking ahead and finding out the steps to best take care of yourself!
