What the law says you shouldn’t do after a car accident in South Africa

A car accident is already a stressful situation, but it can be made a lot worse if you don’t know the correct procedures to follow as dictated by the law, and your insurance provider.

While you should never leave the scene of an accident, it’s also unwise to do things such as move injured people off the road and ignoring witnesses.

King Price Insurance has therefore devised a list of dos and don’ts you should be aware of if you’re ever involved in a car accident.

With local roads being among the most dangerous of any country in the world, these are valuable pieces of knowledge for every South African motorist.

The dos and don’ts of car accidents

The first and most important thing to remember if you are ever involved in a car accident is to not leave the scene.

Running away can get you into serious trouble, like being slapped with a hit-and-run allegation that could turn an innocent fender bender into a prison sentence.

Secondly, if it was a more serious incident and someone got hurt, do not try to move them.

Moving an injured person could make their injuries worse, so it’s best to call for an ambulance and wait for the professionals.

If there are injuries or if any state property is damaged, then it is classified as an offence and you must call the police.

“[The police] need to be there, and you need to stay until they give you the okay to leave,” said King Price.

If there weren’t injuries or property damage, you still need to report the incident to the police within 24 hours, not only because it’s a legal requirement, but you also need a case number for your insurance claim.

When the authorities are on their way, the next step is to notify your insurer of the unfortunate event.

If your car needs to be towed this will be handled by the insurance company, who will hook you up with an approved tow truck that will be paid for by your policy provider.

Additionally, once you’ve called your insurer it will give you instructions on what to do next to ensure your claim goes as smoothly as possible, like making sure you’ve snapped pictures and gotten the details of any other drivers.

On that note, whether you are insured or not, always take lots of photos of the scene accident, the cars involved, their number plates and licence discs, street names, landmarks, and other drivers.

A shocking event such as a car accident can cause your memory to become fuzzy, so any and all photographic evidence will help set the record straight.

Also, don’t neglect to get the names and contact details of any witnesses.

This info can be vital if you need to prove the accident wasn’t your fault, and your insurer will need those details as part of processing your claim.

Finally, before driving off once again in your now accident-damaged car, make sure that it is still safe to operate.

Don’t assume it’s fine if there are no obvious life-threatening damages, something might be lurking under the body so double-check everything thoroughly.

If you’re unsure, rather call your insurance provider to organise an approved towing service.