How to Prepare Yourself for an Auto Accident

No one ever expects to be in an auto accident. Most people feel that they are safe in their cars, even if they drive in beltway traffic. People think that they can control or maneuver their car, or drive defensively, so that they can avoid wrecks.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Accidents happen. There are millions of auto accidents each year. In 2006, over 42,000 of these were fatal.

When you are involved in an auto accident, all sorts of things occur. You may be injured and need to receive medical care. This might last for months or years, depending on the severity of your injuries. You may need a new car, because yours was totalled. There may be lawsuits to recover money for damages. Someone may need to watch over you, or take care of your financial issues, if your injury was serious.

There are many things you can do to protect yourself from getting in an accident in the first place. There are also ways to prepare to make things easier in the event that you do get in an accident. This article will discuss both of these areas.

1. Get the protection you need on your auto insurance. This is the biggest thing that will determine how things go once you are involved in an accident, as far as costs are concerned. The insurance policy limits you have will determine what money you have available for damages, etc.

The first part of the auto insurance you should look at is your deductible. What will you be able to afford to pay if you get in an accident? If you can afford $1,000, you can choose this, but remember that you will have to come up with this money to pay for fixing your car. It will save you money on the cost of your policy, but is it worth it?

Next, look into paying to have a rental car made available to you if your car goes in the shop after an accident. It might only cost you $15 per month to add this to your car insurance.

Look at your uninsured motorist coverage. If you are hit by a driver who has no insurance, your company will have to pay for the damages. If the limit is 50,000/100,000 this means you have 50,000 available per person, with a maximum of 100,000 per accident. This is the most you'll get for things like pain and suffering, and expenses beyond what PIP coverage took care of.

Check out your PIP coverage. This is what pays for your medical bills and lost wages while treating for the auto accident injuries. If you only have $2,500, this could run out very quickly. It is best to choose the upper limit in your state.

The best thing for you to do is to go through each part of your auto insurance with your provider, and get the highest limits you can afford that also seem reasonable. Expenses add up when there is an accident!

2. Make sure there is a network of support for you if something would happen. Your family members and friends should all have each other's phone numbers. This way, people can get hold of each other if there is an injury. Your mother can reach your best friend to let her know you are in the hospital. Your father can reach your great aunt to see if she can bring you meals for a week while you are in bed healing.

Contact numbers should be on your person and in your car. Put a list somewhere that will be easily found in your purse or wallet. Also put a copy of this list in the glove compartment of your car. You may even wish to go so far as to have different family members agree which responsibilities they would handle if you were to become injured. Mom prepares meals, dad helps with bills, etc.

3. Make a list of your monthly bills, and let one or two relatives know where it is. This list should include telephone numbers for the companies as well as account numbers. This way, your light and oil bill can get paid while you are injured. Otherwise, you could end up without heat one morning.

4. Make an extra set of your keys, and give it to a relative not living in your home. If you become injured, someone might need access to your house to bring you clothes to the hospital, or to water plants or even turn back the heat while you're gone. You could end up losing the keys during the course of the accident, so someone else should have a spare set.

5. Drive safely, and avoid situations that would put you in danger. The more you drive on the beltway in rush hour traffic, the more you put yourself at risk of getting in an accident. The same goes for driving in icy or snowy conditions, and for being out late at night when drunk drivers are on the road.

Avoid following cars too closely. If a car is up on your tail, move aside and let them pass you. Take roads where there is less traffic. You can avoid certain types of accidents based on the roads you travel. If you always take highways with a divider in between you and oncoming traffic, you have less of a chance of having a head on collision. Think about this. Think about where deer accidents are, and avoid this area. Deer also are found right around daybreak and at dusk traveling to and fro, so be especially careful during these times.

6. Prepare yourself for driving. Get enough sleep before you drive. Find designated drivers if you are not at your peak, such as if you've been drinking or you're overly tired or have taken prescription drugs that make you drowsy.

7. Get your eyesight checked once a year. If you can't see well, you increase your chance of getting into an auto accident.

8. Exercise regularly with frequent stretching and loosening exercises. The more limber and loose your muscles are when you are in an accident, the less chance you have of serious injuries or prolonged healing times. If you are fit, you will be able to rebound better and respond more quickly to physical therapy.

9. Equip your car with devices to contact emergency services if you get in an accident. For instance, many GM cars have Onstar, that lets someone know you've been in an accident when the car is hit. Look into other options for your car if you don't have Onstar.

10. Drive defensively. Always be on the lookout for trouble ahead. You may be able to spot a potential problem situation before it occurs and avoid it. Look at a car's wheels to see which way they are about to turn, or if they are about to come out into traffic and hit you. Don't be afraid to use your horn to signal a driver who doesn't see you. Many accidents can be avoided this way.

Source: http://www.usnews.com/blogs/barone/2007/7/30/good-news-on-auto-accident-trends.html ; http://www.onstar.com/canada_english/jsp/index.jsp .