Nobody can ever be prepared for an accident, fully or otherwise. This is because accidents happen suddenly and without warning. Whether major or minor, accidents are dreadful and leave us drained. Fender bender motor accidents are the most common types of accidents on our roads. Most drivers, both careful and reckless have found themselves at the centre of a fender bender accident. While it is okay to feel hopeless when you are involved in an accident, knowing what to do goes a long way in building your confidence even when you are on the wrong and helps you to avoid making mistakes in your judgment. Remember that an apparently minor damage may require a lot of money to repair.
™
The first thing to do immediately after an accident is to stop the car and get out. Do not move the car away from the scene of the accident unless it is really necessary. Some areas have strict rules on this and any contradiction can car accident result to you being charged with an extra traffic offence, which you clearly do not need. In regions where it is allowed, you can safely move it to the side especially if it is blocking the road. It is upon you and the other driver involved in the accident to control and redirect traffic so as to prevent unnecessary snarl-ups. After this you need to check on any casualties in the other car. Then you can call in the police. Most traffic police officers will arrive at the scene. There are directives on how and where you can report the accident in case the police cannot show up for whatever reason. You can get this information from the emergency services provider.
Such cases need the two drivers to discuss what happens next. Usually, both drivers assess the damage and come to an agreement. The only complication likely to arise may be when the driver on the offense refuses to acknowledge his wrong. You will need to get the help of witnesses around. The good thing with accident scenes is that they are always filled with curious on-lookers and sympathizers. Get the names and details of these people. Witnesses provide information which is crucial in establishing who was on the wrong.
Exchange insurance information with the other driver and check their driving license. If you have a camera with you, take shots of the two cars. In the absence of a camera, a camera-enabled cell phone will suffice. You can also draw a diagram of the cars showing the direction they were headed to, the lane they were on and positions of all occupants. These steps are helpful during insurance settlements as they give a correct portrayal of which car was at fault. They also minimize chances of the other driver exaggerating damage. Always ensure that you get proper insurance cover for your car. Buying a shoddy car insurance plan can cost you a lot should you be one on the wrong.
In order to better understand how to protect your car from car theft, and in order to get a better idea of which cars will be stolen, it is important to understand the top five reasons that cars might be stolen. These are the five biggest reasons a person might steal your car.
Joyriding
Joyriding is something that is referred to sometimes as a prank, but it really does happen. This happens because a person sees a car and wants to drive around in it. They steal it with no other purpose other than to simply ride around in the car. These are cars that are stolen and usually recovered within a day or two in the same general area that they were stolen. Most of the cars that are stolen for joyrides are damaged, because the thief doesn't care what happens to the car. Most of the time, cars that are stolen for joyriding are chosen because the owner has left the keys in the car, or has left the door switch in an unlocked position.
Transportation
The second reason that cars are stolen is simple – the thief needs to get from one place to another. They need to go somewhere, and have to have a car to do that. Most of the time, they leave the car wherever their destination was. Sometimes, the car is wrecked and often there are parts stolen from it, but the biggest reason to take the car in the first place was to simply get where they were going. Thieves choose these cars in the same way – they were left with the keys in the ignition, or in a way that is very easy to steal.
Other Crimes
Sometimes, a car is stolen so that other crimes can be committed. This happens when someone steals a car to get away from the scene of a crime that just happened, like a robbery. However it can also be done to get to a different crime, like a burglary or drug crime. Most of the time the stolen vehicle is abandoned when the crime is finished, but a lot of the time it is damaged or wrecked in the process. These cars are often stolen in places where there is a lot of crime.
Parts
Sometimes, a car is stolen for the parts. This happens when a car is hotwired and stolen, and the radio, or parts of the engine are taken out before the car is abandoned or found. Sometimes, the thieves have one or two main items in mind, and sometimes they strip whatever they can out of the car before someone finds it.
Commercial Theft
The last type of car theft is commercial theft. Unlike the cars that are stolen to strip the parts, these cars are stolen to be resold. Body shops will take in stolen cars, file off serial numbers and change the look of the car and then resell them. These are the cars that are in most high demand, and that is why they are stolen.