With the advent of amazing automobiles, a plague-like issue started emerging as cars became a common object in the streets. The number of fatal accidents every year is staggering in most countries, some more than others. There is a myriad of reasons that can cause someone to lose control of the car or their driving, but amongst many reasons, driving under influence seems to reign king in the number of accidents caused.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 29 people die every day from accidents caused by an alcohol-impaired driver. As a driver or a pedestrian, getting into a serious car crash or accident will likely be caused by a DUI driver. This article is written to help victims of DUI accident consequences recover and know what to do, which can help organize your thoughts to avoid getting overwhelmed.
Staying Composed
We aren’t used to getting into accidents, especially serious ones. The shocking feeling that you get once you are hit or injured can completely overwhelm your senses, causing your critical thinking to suddenly halt. If you’re in a vehicle, make sure to remain your calmest as the vehicle comes to a stop; you’ll want to think clearly about the next steps because panic will only make the situation worse. More likely than not, you or someone else may be injured, which merits a very quick call to 911 to request assistance. Before you begin thinking about who was in the wrong, try to ensure that the situation’s intensity deescalates as quickly as possible.
Careful Helpfulness
If you are physically able and don’t have injuries, try to provide as much help as possible to other drivers and pedestrians who were affected in the accident. But you might want to make sure that your interactions with the driver are as restricted as possible to ensure that no conflict occurs. The last thing you want is to get into a clash with someone at the scene because it always causes more trouble than it solves. You might want to avoid being apologetic or expressing regret because it can be easily taken the wrong way, causing you problems when you try to file for a claim. As mentioned by the personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C., personal injury lawsuits are centered on the negligence of a specific party. You should avoid admitting anything in the scene of the accident because emotions run high and it almost always backfires.
The Police Report
Once the police officers arrive, you’ll want to make sure that you provide all the information you’ve gathered. It’s very important to mention that you believe that the other driver is intoxicated. You don’t need to worry about anything else because the police officers will be quick to test the other driver though testing the level of alcohol or other drugs in their blood through a sobriety test. Once they confirm the suspicion, the driver is arrested and issued a DUI ticket.
Exchanging Information
If you were in an unfortunate accident caused by a drunk driver, you may have some trouble in certain aspects. As you’re waiting for the emergency services, you’ll want to make sure that you’re taking note of every little detail because it will help your case later if you’re going to claim a settlement.
The problem is that you may not be able to communicate properly with drivers who are severely inebriated, but you can still take note of what they say and observations regarding their body language and attitude. If the driver is able to communicate properly while being intoxicated, you should proceed to exchange insurance information and personal contact info.
Collecting Evidence
Thanks to the technology available, it is now easier than ever to collect evidence of the accident’s location. You can use your phone to take photos of vehicles involved, broken glass, skid marks, broken objects, and any other elements involved in the accident. If the other driver is helpful, try to learn about the location where the driver drank. You can use this information to gather witnesses and direct the police officers to ensure that the investigation is as accurate as possible. Since this process isn’t going to be easy, it’s recommended to use the services of a lawyer to collect evidence, gather witnesses, learn about new information from the police, and even secure video footage in some cases.
Driving under influence is a very serious problem that plagues a lot of roads. No matter how good of a driver you are, you should never underestimate the influence of alcohol on other drivers. It’s always better to stay prepared to react in such a situation, in addition to consulting with a professional lawyer if it’s a serious accident.
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