Vacationing is an exciting time; you get to explore new places, relax, and leave your worries behind. Each vacation comes with its own brilliant memories that will stay with you and keep you going during those long hard hours at work or school. Every once in a while, though, a car accident can occur that can disrupt your relaxation time and ruin your vacation to some extent. In order to avoid this from happening, be sure to know what to do if you happen to get injured in a possible car crash when on vacation; read on to find out the necessary steps to take below.
Before Traveling
1. Understand the Traffic Laws
Before you travel, be sure to understand the traffic laws of the location you are going to. Each region has its specific traffic laws, even if you are going from state to state, or from city to city. You must follow particular rules and regulations, so be sure to educate yourself on them before you go.
2. Understand Your Vehicle
If you happen to go to a location where driving is on the left side instead of the right, or vice versa, and you are renting a vehicle, be sure to drive it around the block a few times. Test out the car before officially going on the road. It can get quite tricky learning how to drive on the opposite side of the road. If you happen to go to a location where driving is on the same side, get to know your vehicle regardless, in case your foot is not used to the intensity of the brake or gas pedals. Take it out for a test drive just like you would any other new car.
After the Incident
1. Seek Medical Attention
The first step you must take is to seek medical attention. If you are badly injured or wounded, call an ambulance or have someone near you contact them for you. Everything else can be dealt with later on, including insurance and the state of the vehicle. Yet if you and/or someone else is injured, then take the essential step of calling an ambulance.
2. Call the Police
If the police have not shown up already, make sure you had previously known or inputted the vacation spot’s police or emergency number. Generally, if you are going to any US state, Hawaii, for instance, the emergency number is still 911, but there is a more specific one for non-emergencies: (808) 935-3311. You must understand the nature of the incident before calling the police so that you have your story straight. After a traumatic experience, it can be challenging to give an accurate or official statement as some small details can get lost in the chaos. Call the police immediately, but take some time to understand what happened to the best of your ability.
3. Consult with a Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal injury lawyers are hard to come by if you are not previously aware of them in the location you are going to. After calling the police, Honolulu Police Department can suggest a Honolulu car accident lawyer for you, or you can do your research before going to Hawaii. Each region will have a different car accident or personal injury laws, so if you have the traffic laws understood, it will be easier to discuss the necessary steps to take with the lawyer.
4. Collect Relevant Information
An essential step to take as well is to collect relevant information about the accident. It may be difficult at first if you have been injured, but after you get better, consult with your lawyer on the documents and forms you need to collect. Depending on the lawyer’s diligence, they can aid you in managing these forms. These would include all the information about the incident itself if there were other parties involved, your personal standpoint, insurance information, license plate number(s), contact information, the car rental insurance policy, the model and verification number of the other vehicle, if available.
When creating vacation packing lists, extra precautionary injury lists are not usually thought of. Vacations are about extended periods of worry-free activities, and precautionary plans can be a buzzkill. Unfortunately, though, since it is quite possible to get into an accident, create a one-time packing list to take with you anywhere you go, with the added research of the location, you happen to be going to. Research possible lawyers and check whether your insurance is valid in that area or not. If the accident happened while you were in a rental car, check the insurance policies the rental agency has on the vehicle itself.
