What To Do Next When You Are Involved In An Accident
Remaining Calm After An Accident
The most important thing if you are involved in an accident is to stay calm. Like what the Basic Theory Test (BTT) teaches us, getting angry or annoyed will not help matters. On the other hand, this will cause your judgment to be clouded and increase the probability of you making rash decisions and getting into even more serious trouble.
Another important thing is not to run from the scene of the accident. Even if you were not the party at fault; fleeing will constitute a hit and run offence, which carries a severe penalty in Singapore. You should just stay at the scene and wait for the police or ambulance (if there are injuries) to arrive.
What To Do If Someone Is Injured
Also, it will be wise to check if the parties involved, including yourself, have sustained any injuries. Check for signs of bleeding. In the case that someone else has gotten injured, there are also steps that you can undertake to improve the situation. Firstly, you should call the ambulance hotline at 995. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, you should check if he or she is responsive. This can be done simply by talking to them, or by asking them questions. For example, you could ask “Hello, can you hear me?” If they respond normally, that is a good sign. However, as a precautionary measure, you should still continue talking to them until the ambulance arrives. The following point is extremely important if the injured party is a biker, ie he or she rides a motorbike. DO NOT remove their helmet. This is critical because they could have sustained head injuries, and any attempts to remove their helmet could worsen it. Leave the helmet on unless you are certain that he or she is no longer breathing. In such a case, then you should remove their helmet very carefully and perform CPR. The following image is a good step-by-step guide to performing CPR.
Although attending to the injured person is of top priority, it is also very important not to endanger other motorists who might be travelling through the accident scene. Switch on the hazard lights of your vehicle to warn incoming motorists that an accident has occurred.
What To Do If There Are No Injuries Involved
Well, if no one has gotten injured, that’s a good thing! However, there are still some standard procedures to follow in such scenarios. Firstly, you should exchange contact details with the other parties involved. Although it may seem unimportant and inconsequential, such information is important when you want to file your insurance claims later.
Details that you should aim to get include: name, address and contact number. It will also be good to take note of the details of the vehicle of the other party as well; such as the brand, the model, the colour and the license plate number. If the other party’s car is a rented one, then get the contact details of the original car owner.
Sometimes, the involved parties may refuse to provide their contact details. This is quite common. However, it is important that you do not flare up at them or try to force it out of them. This may lead to violent arguments or confrontations, which is what you want to avoid. If such a situation happens to you, it is best to wait for the police to arrive. If they attempt to leave, try to stall them as far as possible before the police arrive.
If possible, you should also get the contact details of any witnesses. This is just a precautionary measure so that you know who to contact if the authorities require additional proof to corroborate your testimony or account of the accident.
Take pictures of the accident scene. This should be a super simple task to accomplish because every smartphone now comes equipped with a camera. Take pictures of the street name or prominent landmarks that will be a good indicator of the location. If the accident occurred because your motorcycle skidded on the wet road, it is good to take a picture of the road condition as well.
Other Important Pointers
Insurance claims must be made within 24 hours of the time of the accident.
The following attachment is a private settlement form between the involved parties in the accident. In such a case, both parties agree that there is no need to make a police report because no one was seriously injured and no property damaged. Do take note that if there is damage to any government property such as a street lamp or traffic light, you MUST call the police because that is counted as damage to public property. Failure to do so will constitute an offence.
www.sgbikemart.com.sg/static/forms/private-settlement-agreement.pdf
We recommend that you print out a copy of this form to keep with you in the case of an accident happening. But of course, we hope that you will never have to use this form because no accident is best!
This article is a good guide for the steps that you should take when involved in an accident. However, it is also good to note that prevention is always better than cure. As a biker, accidents can be very dangerous for you because of the relatively lesser protection as compared to cars. Hence, always err on the side of caution. Do not undertake risky maneuverers or ride dangerously. Always make safety your top priority. Ride to Live & Live To Ride!