Car accidents can happen to anyone when they least expect it.
According to one report conducted by the ANSR, over 26 thousand road accidents took place on Portuguese roads between January and November 2021.
Despite the low probability of having an accident, every car user should be properly prepared should the worst happen.
In this article, we’ll be giving you some tips on the steps to follow if you’re in a road accident.
What to do in case of a car accident?
1. Keep calm
Keeping calm is a must in any situation, and road accidents are no exception. In fact, staying calm’s the only way you can ensure you’re able to follow the correct steps to ensure that the situation can be resolved as quickly as possible.
2. Visually sign the accident
Do you know how far away you should place your warning triangle? If your car is stationary, you should place your triangle 30 metres away from the vehicle so that it can be seen from at least 100 metres away.
3. Assess the car accident situation
Car accidents can cause material damage to vehicles and personal injuries to drivers and other passengers.
If anyone involved is injured, call 112 and avoid moving them.
When it comes to material damage to any of the vehicles, you may also need help from the fire services or a tow truck, depending on the severity, to remove the car from the road.
Remember that any car accident can lead to oil leaks in the engine as well as parts fragmenting, such as headlights, which can pose a danger to other drivers using the same road.
4. Gather information from the car accident
The more information we have the more complete descriptions will be to the authorities and insurers.
Therefore, take note of the following:
- Brand and Registration plates of the vehicles involved.
- Driver´s names
- Insurance company.
- Insurance Code
- Date;
- Time;
- Place of the accident
If the other vehicle lacks car insurance or their insurance has expired, you should call law enforcement authorities immediately so that the Portuguese Motor Vehicle Guarantee Fund can be activated.
5. Look for witnesses
If you’re on a quiet road, finding witnesses may prove difficult, while you can be more sure to find someone who witnessed the accident if you’re on a busier National Road.
If there are witnesses, you should ask for their contact details and addresses, as this information may be useful.
6. Try to reach an agreement with those involved in the car accident
Any car accident can be interpreted differently by each party involved.
Ideally, everyone should come to an agreement and no one will be hampered by the accident.
If there is an agreement, everyone should fill out the accident report and each one should keep a copy.
If everyone agrees, this is the simplest way to settle a car accident.
7. Report it to your insurer
If it is your fault or not, you should contact your insurer or insurance broker to report the accident.
You can either take the completed and signed accident report to your broker or submit it using the e-SEGURNET application.
Road accidents can also result in a police report, but don’t worry, this is only a police report of the accident in question.
This report can be sent to the insurer up to a maximum of 8 days after the accident, so it is essential that you keep in touch, as information may be requested from the vehicle expert or even additional documentation.
What happens if there is no agreement in a car accident?
When there is no agreement between the parties involved in the accident, the case ends up in the hands of insurance and police experts.
In these cases, the expert report on the vehicles involved must be carried out within a maximum of 4 working days, which can be extended by 2 days if the vehicle needs to be dismantled.
Once the expert’s report is available, the insurer has 15 working days to communicate the decision to accept or reject the blame for the car accident.
If there is any kind of suspicion of fraud or any kind of police investigation into the car accident, the above deadlines are not applicable.
The same is the case if the car accidents involve a chain crash.
Can one reject the insurer’s decision in an accident?
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