After you've been in a car accident in inclement weather, it's important to keep your vehicle moving if it's still drivable and you have no serious injuries. Move to the side of the road, so your vehicle isn't blocking traffic or causing a hazard. This is for your safety as well as the safety of others who may not see you in the roadway, causing additional crashes.
Next, if your vehicle is unable to be moved, stay in your vehicle. Approaching traffic may not see you and can hit you, but if you're inside your vehicle, it's safer than being hit as a pedestrian.
If no traffic is approaching and you're able to get to a safe location on the side of the road, do so. Don't leave the scene of the accident, but in inclement weather, if a business is directly next to the accident, you may want to move yourself and anyone else who can be moved to the parking lot or inside. Make sure you alert police and emergency care teams to the fact that you have moved to the side of the road or into a bordering parking lot, so they know you haven't fled the scene.
Another thing you may want to do is use flares to mark the scene. If you carry them in an emergency kit, lighting them around a vehicle that can't be moved can help indicate to moving traffic that a vehicle is stranded, so it can be avoided.
Once you're able, make sure to call for emergency assistance and wait for help to arrive. After you get medical attention, keep any medical documentation to give to your attorney at Veritas Injury Lawyers. Contact us to schedule your free consultation.
Source: Icy Road Safety, "Icy Roads: If You Have An Accident," accessed Jan. 03, 2017
