It’s never a good time to have an accident, but, with the pandemic still in full effect, remembering to maintain personal safety measures is so important. Here are Burnside’s recommendations for maintaining safe social distance practices while handling the aftermath of an accident.

Assess Your Surroundings

Don’t panic! While remaining calm, take a look at your surroundings immediately after an accident. Determine if you are able to safely exit your vehicle. If the incident occurred in the middle of a trafficked roadway and if feasible, move your vehicle out of the way of incoming traffic.

View the scene and call 911 if anyone, including yourself, is hurt. If authorities are called to the site, report the damages and answer any questions the officers may have.

Practice Social Distancing

Maintain a distance of at least six feet from the driver or their vehicular occupants as you process your damages and take down their information. To further enhance your health safekeeping, put on a face mask just in case your social distancing measures become compromised.

Safely Capture the Facts

Use your mobile device to collect the facts: you can opt to safely take down insurance information and the other drivers contact information on your cell phone. While maintaining safe distancing, ask to take a photo of the drivers license, identification and insurance card. Make sure you also safely capture images of all damages you have incurred.

Handle Insurance

When contacting insurance, ask them if they have a mobile friendly option in place to send incident information. Some insurance companies have created apps or programs to file and complete claims digitally to reduce the risks of spreading the virus. Take advantage of your smartphone and inquire when you can.

Contact Burnside For Repairs

Burnside strives to reduce your stress following an auto collision as much as possible. That’s why if your vehicle requires repairs, we work with your insurance company, no matter who it is. If you obtained photos at the scene of the accident, we are more than happy to have a look to prepare for your visit.