Being involved in an accident on the highway can be a pretty scary experience. With cars flying past at highspeeds you may be unsure about what you should and shouldn’t do in the aftermath of an accident. The Chicago truck accident lawyers at Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. care for your safety. That’s why we are offering advice on do’s and don’ts to follow in the case of a highway accident.
The Do’s After an Accident Occurs on the Highway
- Pull your vehicle over to the far right and onto the shoulder to ensure you are out of the roadway and as far away from traffic as possible.
- If the accident involved another vehicle, be sure to take down the other driver’s license and insurance. If you need to file a claim this information becomes essential.
- Call for help. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or even a rideshare company, you are going to want someone to pick you up if your vehicle is cannot be driven.
- Call the police right away. Rather than a minor fender bender, if the accident caused injury, death, or significant property damage, the police must be notified. Illinois law requires that an accident report must be filed within 10 days after an accident if the accident caused a death, bodily injury, or more than $1,500 of property damage. Each driver involved in an Illinois traffic accident must file a crash report.
When police arrive immediately to the scene, the police is able to assess the scene of the accident in an impartial way that insurance companies don’t. If you have an injury and need to file an injury claim, a police accident report will help build your case. That is why it’s very important that police is called right away to the scene of an accident.
- If the accident involves multiple drivers, collect each party’s license and insurance information.
- If other witness have also stopped and pulled over on the shoulder, be sure to collect their contact information. This will help build your injury case if you may need to file one. Never try to stop passing vehicles on the highway.
The Don’ts After a Highway Accident
- Don’t attempt to enter into lanes where there is a constant flow of traffic to try and retrieve something that may have blown out of your car or truck. Just a few days ago, a truck driver in Illinois was hit and killed after he got out of his vehicle following an accident. The Chicago Tribune reported that a 46-year old male was driving on I-294 when his truck struck the guardrail on the right side of the tollway. He got out of his vehicle and appeared to run into traffic where he was hit by a Freightliner semi-trailer truck and an International box truck.
A driver who witnessed the accident said it appeared some debris had blown away when the man first hit the guardrail and it looked as though he may have been attempting to retrieve whatever it was that blew into the middle of the roadway. Why he thought he stood a chance at getting the items that may have fallen out of his truck, that is unknown. However, this is why we encourage you to never attempt to walk into the roadway where vehicles are driving.
- Don’t stand on the side of the road close to traffic in an attempt to flag a car down for help.
- Don’t leave the scene of the accident until a police officer arrives and writes up a report.
- Don’t lose your cool, even if you are shaken and upset [Source: How Stuff Works].
- Don’t stay inside your vehicle if it is smoking or on fire.
Although these do’s and don’ts are pretty easy to follow, many times in the aftermath of an accident, drivers are shaken up and more prone to making these life-threatening mistakes
If you were recently involved in a truck or car accident in Chicago, IL and need assistance from a personal injury lawyer, the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. is here for you. With over 50 years of combined experience we have helped injury victims receive just compensation and relief at times when they and their families feel the most vulnerable.Call us at 1-312-384-1920 to receive a free, initial consulation.
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