Isn’t it easy to avoid the accident?

Almost everyone gets in a traffic accident at some point their lives. It does not matter if you are a good driver or a bad driver, you will probably get into a car accident. It doesn’t matter whether you are at fault or not either. The odds are that you will have an accident. The question then becomes what happens as a result of that accident? Let’s assume that you get in a minor accident. What should you do to avoid any unforeseen repercussions from the accident? The following is not for every situation, but it is a good idea to keep all of these things in mind should you get into a car accident in Florida.

Check For Injuries. The first thing that you should do in an accident is to make sure that no one involved is hurt. Ask everyone if they are OK. If everyone in your car is fine, go over to the other person and ask them the same question. If possible, try and let someone else hear their answer since they may claim “whip lash” later. Unfortunately, in Florida most people see a fender bender as a way to make some quick money. Keep this in mind.

Get the Police Involved. Even if the accident was nothing more than a little bump with another vehicle, you need to call the police. It is important to get an official police report of every accident if you want your insurance company to reimburse you for any expenses. Also, this will prevent anyone from accusing you of leaving the scene of the accident.

Move Over if Possible. Do not leave your car in a high traffic area after an accident. If your car is operable, move to the nearest side street to wait for the police to arrive. This will help avoid any further accidents. If you are on a highway, move to the shoulder. Again, don’t go too far as you don’t want to be seen as leaving the scene of the accident.

Just State the Facts. When the police ask you what happened do not say it was your fault and do not say it was all the fault of the other driver. Tell the officer what happened in the most matter of fact way that you can. The officer can and will write you a traffic ticket for any violations that you admit to. To avoid a traffic ticket in Florida, do not tell the officer that you were doing something wrong. Do not blame the other driver either because you do not want him or her getting defensive and placing the blame on you. The take away here is DO NOT admit anything. Make sure your description of the accident does not put you at fault. If you admit/confess you will get a ticket and probably sued.

Exchange Information. Make sure that you share insurance and contact information with any other drivers involved in the accident. Write it all down so that you do not forget something. Name, phone numbers and address are good staples.

Call Your Insurance Company. As soon as you can, make sure to let your insurance company know about the accident. The sooner you tell them, the sooner that you will be reimbursed. If you fail to tell the insurance company about the accident in a timely manner, you might forfeit reimbursement completely. You don’t have to call the second you leave the accident scene, but do it as soon as possible there after. Also, don’t give any statements to any insurance companies until you speak to yours.

Call a Florida Traffic Ticket Attorney. Even if you did nothing wrong, it is likely that you will get a traffic ticket in Florida when you get in an accident. Law enforcement does not usually take sides in accidents and writes tickets for everyone. Call an attorney about the ticket and make sure that you are not being penalized for something that you did not do. Paying the ticket can have severe repercussions if there is a dispute about who is at fault in the accident. It’s an admission of guilt. So call an experienced Florida traffic ticket lawyer to help with the ticket.