No matter how careful you are, you can still find yourself dealing with a car accident. Some are more serious than others, but the steps that need to be taken are the same. Making new drivers aware of this process is crucial, so they can feel prepared if they ever find themselves in this situation. Here are some tips to follow after you have been in an auto accident:

Do you need Emergency Services?

After a car accident, finding out if emergency medical services are needed is always first priority. If you are unable to help yourself, you will have to wait for a passing motorist or police to call for help. It is important to remember that you should never move an injured person because it could make their injuries worse. However, if the injured individual is in more danger staying put, you are advised to move them to safety carefully. Sometimes there can be a fire that breaks out or you could be in the way of oncoming traffic that isn't stopping. When police arrive on scene they may call for medical services anyways if the damage to the auto body looks bad enough. You may have been injured from the impact of the crash and your adrenaline is doing a good job of covering it up. Whip lash injuries to the neck and back are most common. If your car is still able to drive safely, you should try to move to the shoulder of the road. Other drivers may be distracted and not see you. 

Take Photos of the Damage

Even if the damage is slight, you should take photos of the accident. Get photos of all the vehicles involved so that auto body, paint work, and insurance claims can be done. Taking photos of the license plates is a good idea too, just in case the number you write down ends up having an error. Try to get a photo of the direction the cars were coming from and headed too, this may be able to help with some questions during the insurance claims process. 

Always Carry your Documentation

Your glove box should always be stocked with your important papers. Registration, proof of insurance, car title, and other information will be requested by the other driver and by any police who come to the scene. You will definitely want to have your wallet with your current driver's license too. You don't want this day to end with a ticket for something like not carrying your license or having proof of insurance. 

Using these tips will help you make the most of the situation you find yourself in. After some insurance phone calls and some auto body repair services, you can be back on the road again. Do some preparation before you're involved in an auto accident, you will thank yourself later!