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Do’s and Don’ts if you are Hurt in a Car Accident in Georgia
And so you will have that phone number handy at any time, go ahead and enter it into your cell phone.
“Hi Gary –
This is different kind of question and I hope you can help. Our daughter just turned 16 and recently passed her driving test to get her license. I really want to be proactive in working with her on various things about the car. I’ve taught her how to check the oil level in the car, check the tire pressure, and she even knows how to change a tire if she were to ever get a flat.
Rodney – thanks for the question and that is a great one!
First of all, let me commend you for being so proactive in working with your daughter.
Let me give you some statistics about wrecks involving young, inexperienced drivers:
* In the U.S., the risk of a teen driver between the ages of 16-19 being involved in a car wreck is 4 times higher than that for older drivers.
* Out of every 100 teen drivers on the road:
* 28 will be involved in accidents.
* 4 will be ticketed for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and
* 1 will be killed in a car crash.
* “Teens, on their part, view driving as a right rather than a privilege. Overwhelmingly, study participants cited teen drivers’ inexperience as well as their feeling of invincibility and willingness to take risks as contributing factors in unsafe driving behaviors. Participants also noted that teen drivers are easily distracted and lack the skills and judgment necessary to recover from unexpected incidents. ”
* This same study concluded that parental involvement was the most important factor in teaching teens safe driving habits and behaviors.
We, as parents, can’t rely on the traditional driver’s education programs at school to adequately prepare our teens to get behind the wheel.
There was a report that came out in September 2006 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that discussed the drivers’ education programs in schools. The report suggested that the education does not adequately make our students safer drivers. The way for us to lower the risks of teens being involved in crashes is to:
So getting back to Rodney’s question – I applaud you for being so actively involved in training your daughter to drive!
* ALWAYS call the police to come to the scene to complete an incident report. The investigating officer will help document the scene of the wreck, gather the facts, interview witnesses, and prepare a report. If you don’t do this, it could be your word against the other driver.
* Exchange information with every person involved in the wreck, including:
-Address
-License plate
* If you have a smart phone or camera, take pictures at the scene if possible.
DON’TS
* Don’t panic, but remain calm as best as possible. This is especially important if you or others at the scene are injured.
* Don’t accept blame for the wreck unless you have an opportunity to discuss the facts of the wreck with your attorney.
You really need to the extent and severity of your injuries before you ever consider settling your claim.
They dangle a quick offer in front of you and encourage you to settle.
You take the quick money and sign the release.
What can you do now?
And insurance companies are getting away with this tactic every day.
* Don’t Wait!
If you are hurt in a car wreck, call a lawyer right away!
If you have been hurt in a wreck and you don’t hire an attorney, you are letting the insurance company hang onto YOUR money. Plain and simple.
Please – you owe it to yourself to call a lawyer to discuss the facts of your specific claim.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a wreck, I encourage you to talk with a lawyer.
The consultation is FREE and completely confidential.
You owe it to yourself – to your family – to get the help you need.
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Georgia Car Wreck Attorney
