I hope everyone had a good Spring Holiday a couple weekends ago! Mine was filled with my family, pets, relaxation and then…an accident. As I was coming back to Springfield from my home in Liberty, MO another car hit me. They ran a red light in the downtown area and t-boned me just 2 minutes away from my house! I was so close to being home, I couldn’t believe I got into an accident minutes from my Springfield home. Before I go on, I want to say that everyone involved is alive and well, just some minor bruising and soreness. The reason I bring this story up is because I realized that this could happen to anyone. This was the first time since I have been driving that I have been in an accident. I wanted to share some tips for those who may get into a similar situation. So in reflection on the process, I created a list of steps of what will happen and what you should do.
Step 1: The Initial Hit
For me, the second I got hit I started crying. I was hit by a wave of emotion and I’m not embarrassed, it was a scary and unbelievable situation. The very next thing I did was call my mom. This was an okay response in this particular situation because we were downtown where there were lots of people willing to help. One onlooker offered to call the police for me when she found out I was on the phone with my parents. If this would have happened in a more remote area, the police should be the first call made.
Step 2: Calm Down
I am an emotional person to begin with, so everyone may not be in the same state as I was, but I would be surprised if those involved didn’t experience some sort of emotional response. Take some deep breaths and clear you’re mind from anything other than the present.
Step 3: Assess Damages
The first damage you should assess is potential damage to yourself. Before moving or getting out of the vehicle, you should do a check of yourself. Does anything hurt? Are you bleeding? Did you hit your head? If everything seems to be in order with yourself, then carefully get out of your car and assess the damage around you. The other driver involved in my accident came over to my car to check on me after he knew he was ok. Then together we looked at both of the cars and helped keep each other calm until the police arrived.
Step 4: Listen to the Police
Unfortunately car accidents are a prominent part of a police officer’s job, so listen to them and do what they say. They will walk you through the steps required for a situation and let you know when you are free to go. In my particular situation, they checked on myself and the other driver first to see if we needed any medical attention. Then they moved on to collecting insurance information, calling a tow truck and collecting information from both of us. They even had small forms for us to fill out for each other that included our insurance information and such.
Step 5: Keep an Eye on Yourself
In the days following the accident you need to assess your health. Soreness is common for people who get in accidents, but know the difference between soreness and pain. If you’re unsure if the achiness you’re feeling is normal or not, go to the doctor to get checked out.
Overall, this experience for me was terrifying, inconvenient and a little painful. However, I was also lucky enough to have a good experience with all involved after the fact. The other driver was very pleasant and worked well with myself and the insurance companies, the officers were calm and supportive of the situation and the onlookers of the accident were very helpful and concerned for the well-being of everyone involved.
So Bears, here I am living off-campus, not near a BearLine with all my classes being in Brick City downtown and work being in the PSU on campus without a car…but I am alive and well and have a plethora of amazing people in my life willing to let me hitchhike around town with them. Remember, no matter how bad the situation, there’s always positives within.
Stay safe, Bears!
~Zoë