While you wear a seatbelt and stay a safe distance from other cars, an auto accident can still happen to you, unfortunately. As much as you can try to prevent it, unexpected events still occur. Statistics even reveal differences in car crash risks by gender.
Car accidents can cause shock, anger, stress, and physical issues, including pain that requires peripheral neuropathy treatment. However, knowing how to be as safe as possible and respond to a fender bender if it occurs can help you. Hence, the guide below. This information is important for anyone who drives to know.
Car crash risks: Fatalities by gender
Shockingly, about 90 people die each day in a motor vehicle accident in the US, as per the CDC (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). That number is twice the rate of other high-income countries.
For crash fatalities by gender, statistics show male drivers are at a higher rate than females in the US. That includes Broomfield County, Colorado.
Why do more men die than women every year in crashes on the road? One of the factors, according to IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), appears to be that men drive longer distances than women, on average. Another factor in car crash risks is safe driving practices, such as not wearing seatbelts and alcohol impairment.
As IIHS explains, crash fatalities by gender were significantly more often men (more than double) almost every year between 1975-2018. The gap has narrowed, when you look at the trends, with male crash deaths lessening by 21% and females by 10%.
What measures to take if involved in an auto accident
Getting involved in an accident, no matter how minor or major it is, can be overwhelming. It can be a big emotional weight on you, your family, the other person involved in the accident, and their loved ones. There are a lot of people involved now.
So, how do you make the process as smooth as possible? And, how to get the best claims outcome to help cover peripheral neuropathy treatment and your other medical needs? Below are steps to follow after the crash.
What should I do after a car accident?
Find basic steps here to deal with the misfortune of a car crash, if it happens to you. Hopefully, you will never need this info, though.
Step 1: Check yourself for any injuries
If you’re harmed, call 911 or ask another person to do it for you. If it is a severe injury, make an effort not to move, and hang tight for medical assistance to arrive on-scene.
Make sure to check yourself thoroughly, and you don’t overlook any injury trying to leave the scene. A doctor can help you with the specialized medical attention you need and deserve when you go to a high-quality car accident clinic in Broomfield.
Step 2: Car crash risks: Are your passengers okay?
If you are not harmed to the point that you cannot move, then check on the other travelers in your vehicle. If anyone is harmed, phone 911 immediately.
What if you’re not able to make the call? Then approach an observer nearby to do so on your behalf.
Step 3: Get out of the car to minimize additional car crash risks
Turn on the hazard lights on your vehicle to warn other drivers nearby. Then, if able, move to the roadside or a walkway.
If your vehicle is causing a risk where it is right now and it is drivable still, pull it to the roadside. Otherwise, leave it where it is, and get yourself and your fellow passengers to a secure area.
Step 4: Stay calm
This is a tough one! You’ll likely feel a range of emotions and overwhelmingly so. Among the common feelings are stun, blame, dread, anxiety, and outrage.
However, take a couple of full breaths or count to 10 to compose yourself. Why? The calmer you are right now, the more ready you will be to deal with the circumstance and car crash risks.
Step 5: Stay at the scene
Make sure any oncoming traffic doesn’t stop because of you. If the location of your vehicle is stopping other drivers from moving along, and if you are not too injured for it, drive your car to the side of the road. That is if your car is still drivable.
In some states, though, it is illegal to move your car from where the auto accident took place. So, take the time now before any unfortunate event to confirm what law your state applies in this case. However big or small the mishap, don’t leave the scene. Stay put.
Step 8: Inform the police
Calling the police is the law in many places when a car crash occurs, so make sure you do so. The officer who comes to the scene will create an accident report and make notes about it.
If the police are not available to come to the scene, go to the station to get them to document the vehicle accident. Getting the police involved is important when you contact your insurer. The insurance company will use the police report to help with the claims process.
Step 6: Take the info of the other driver and vehicle involved
Request to see the driver’s license of any and all involved drivers. Write down their DL numbers as part of your car crash risks to-do list.
Also, get the following info from the drivers:
- Name
- Address
- Telephone number
- Insurance agency name
- Policy number
If the other driver doesn’t possess the vehicle in question, make certain to get the owner’s information too.
Step 7: Tell your insurer
Call your insurance agency as soon as possible. You might still be at the accident scene or it could be soon after that. They will tell you what they need from you to begin making a claim. You might also make a legal claim to get compensation.
Conclusion on car crash risks and you
Unfortunately, men are more at risk of a fatality in an auto accident than women. If you are in a crash and suffer injuries, visit a car accident clinic in Broomfield for treatment options. While still at the accident scene, collect the necessary information from the other driver and follow the additional steps outlined above. Stay safe and know how to respond to the situation. It’s in your best interests to do so.