When you are involved in a traffic accident, what should you do first? How should you respond?

Please follow the steps outlined here.
I followed this procedure after an accident and everything turned out fine.

The accident I encountered was not a major accident that resulted in casualties, but rather a rear-end collision from a vehicle behind me. Fortunately, nothing serious happened, but the police's procedures and efficiency were praised during the investigation.

Here, we will explain in detail the two golden rules that victims must never do after an accident and the five golden rules that they should do first, as well as the reasons why.
Once you have finished reading, you will understand the correct procedure for responding after an accident.

The perpetrator may not always respond appropriately.

Although the perpetrator does not intentionally cause an accident, there are two things that you should never respond to, even though their initial reaction may seem right at first glance.

Two golden rules you should never do

1. Do not conduct settlement negotiations just between the parties!
2. Financial settlements cannot be settled between the parties alone!

At first glance, it may seem like a kind response from the perpetrator, but later on it becomes a big problem, irreversible, and something you will regret.

Even though you know what you shouldn't do, what about the following situations?

Both cases are real stories.

“Relentless advances”

After an accident, both parties generally exchange contact information. If you receive a text message from that number saying, "It's your fault," or "You need to admit your fault," or any other threatening or coercive message, anyone can become anxious and upset.
In these cases, the party's attitude suddenly softens and they approach you directly to negotiate a settlement.

No matter how much fault there is on the part of the perpetrator, if both parties accept settlement negotiations, a settlement will be reached.

“Money resolution request”

Also, there was a case where the accident did not result in a collision, it was only the person who fell down, but the other party forcefully offered money, and it was a hefty sum of 10,000 yen, so he was unable to refuse and accepted the offer. is.

If the perpetrator is a person who is used to accidents or is a professional driver such as a taxi or truck driver, there will be no impact on their job or license points, especially if they can get better with money.

Also, they know that it is more profitable to deal with a property damage accident than with a personal injury accident, so they may insist that the accident be treated as a property damage accident.

For victims, the amount of compensation is higher in the case of a personal injury accident than in a property damage accident, and they can also claim for medical expenses, hospital transportation expenses, and compensation for lost work. In addition, points will be added to the driver's license for the at-fault driver, and in addition to administrative penalties such as license suspension or revocation, criminal penalties may be imposed depending on the degree of injury, and civil litigation may be taken to pay compensation and appropriate compensation. It is also possible to charge a fee.

Let's remember! !

The benefits to the victim are greater in accidents involving personal injury than in accidents involving property damage!

Next, I would like you to cover the following five golden rules.

Five rules you should always follow

Record rather than memorize! We strongly recommend saving it on your smartphone!!
Here are five things you should do and how you should behave when taking initial action in a traffic accident. It may be difficult to remain calm in the situation, so we recommend that you write them down in a memo app on your smartphone to enable you to act quickly.

1. Please take out your mobile phone

If you are involved in an accident, the first thing you do is take out your cell phone. This may seem like a simple thing to do, but with a cell phone you can do many things, such as contacting the police, fire department, parents, and family, taking pictures of the accident situation, and recording information about the perpetrator.
There are probably few people who don't carry a cell phone with them at all times. Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime, whether you're walking, riding a bicycle, or driving a car. After an accident, a cell phone is essential to take quick and appropriate action. With a smartphone, you can take photos and videos with just one tap. It is also important to record the other party's leaving the scene, their license plate number, and above all, to admonish them for any strange behavior. Also, don't forget that it will be important evidence in determining the degree of fault in the future.

2. Report to the police

Next, report the accident to the police. Call 110. It is the driver's duty to report a traffic accident, regardless of the scale of the accident. The person who is able to report the accident should make the report. Passengers can also make the report. Reporting the accident to the police is not only a legal obligation, but if you do not report the accident, you will not be issued a "traffic accident certificate," which is a necessary document when claiming insurance, so be sure to report it.
There are perpetrators who offer to settle on the spot without reporting the accident to the police, but the victim should never agree to this. Settlement negotiations are valid if an agreement is reached on the spot. If you later need medical expenses or are found to have a permanent disability, you will not be able to claim damages.
Emergency telephones are also available as a means of emergency contact in case you are involved in a traffic accident on the expressway. They are installed every kilometer, and in tunnels they are installed at 200 meter intervals. If you pick up the receiver, you will be connected to the road administrator's traffic control room.

3. Prevent secondary disasters

After the accident, if the person is conscious and has no injuries, it is important to prevent a secondary accident from occurring. The following is a natural secondary disaster caused by the perpetrator, but the mental state of the other party is also panic. Even if you are a victim, be sure to take measures against secondary disasters.

Three correct measures to prevent secondary disasters

Please pay close attention to the vehicles following you and your surroundings, and take the following measures to prevent secondary disasters.

1. Warn of danger.
   To prevent rear-end collisions, vehicles behind will use their hazard lights to warn others to be careful.
2. Smoke bombs and stop indicators were installed at the rear.
   If you have passengers, evacuate to a safe place, such as outside the guardrail. It is dangerous inside the car. This also applies at night and in the rain. Pay close attention to following vehicles and your surroundings, and after thoroughly checking for safety, set up flares and stop signs behind the stopped car (at least 50 meters away).
3. Evacuate to a safe place.
   Drivers should also evacuate to a safe place, such as outside the guardrail.

4. Record of accident situation

If you are injured, you should not push yourself too hard, but if you confirm and record the accident situation to the extent possible, your claim for damages will go more smoothly. First of all, what was the cause of the accident and what kind of accident occurred?
Also, check who is at fault, and when the police arrive, explain the circumstances of the accident.
In addition, the following information about the perpetrator must be confirmed:

This is an essential confirmation item for perpetrator information.

• full name
• address
• contact address
• Compulsory automobile liability insurance
• Insurance company name for optional insurance
• Vehicle number
• Place of work

It is convenient to take a photo Driver's License with your smartphone. Also, take pictures of the accident situation (where the car was stopped, the extent of the damage). If there are any witnesses, record their testimony and ask for their names and contact information. The testimony of eyewitnesses is important material, as there may be differences between the perpetrator and the perpetrator.

5. See a doctor

Even if you are in a state of excitement or have no noticeable symptoms after an accident, if you develop symptoms such as whiplash or intracerebral hemorrhage, death may occur several hours later. Instead of just going to the hospital if you feel pain, go to the hospital after a traffic accident. If you consult a doctor, you will be able to prove the causal relationship in subsequent claims for damages.

Check the perpetrator's compulsory automobile liability insurance and optional insurance

The "compulsory automobile liability insurance" mentioned above is an insurance that is required under the Automobile Liability Insurance Law. Failure to do so is punishable by imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 500,000 yen.
This insurance is intended to cover damages only in bodily injury accidents, and the coverage is the minimum. It does not cover property damage accidents. The maximum coverage is 1.2 million yen for injuries, 30 million yen for fatal accidents, and 40 million yen for permanent disability. Therefore, the important thing is "optional insurance" that drivers can voluntarily join.
If you suffer serious damage in a traffic accident, it is difficult for compulsory automobile liability insurance alone to fully cover damages, so you will need to take out voluntary automobile liability insurance to compensate for this.
In addition, compensation for damages, including medical expenses and compensation for pain and suffering, will be paid by the insurance company to which the perpetrator is enrolled, so be sure to note down the name of the insurance company and your insurance certificate number.
In addition, post-accident responses are often handled by the at-fault party's voluntary insurance company, so make sure to have the at-fault party contact their insurance company.

[Finally] Accidents are not something uncommon. Be prepared!

In order to avoid traffic accidents, it is important to drive while always remembering that ``accidents are not special and can happen to you at any time.'' However, we hope that this article will be of help to you in the event you are involved in a traffic accident.