By: Allison Branchaud Hainlen, Esq.
Owner, Attorney, Insurance Agent
Owner, Attorney, Insurance Agent
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are about 10 million car collisions every year. Fortunately, most are non-fatal. And while a fender bender tends to be thought of in terms of an annoyance, there are life-threatening dangers in the immediate aftermath of even minor accidents. In fact, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has joined in spreading this important message via their Amber Alert digital billboards by occasionally reminding drivers: If you are in a minor accident, pull over to the shoulder.
If you commute on our crowded roadways, then you have observed drivers exiting their cars in the middle of the freeway after an accident. This extremely dangerous move could take an auto accident from a “minor” fender bender to a fatal accident. If you can move the vehicle, the first thing to do following an accident is to pull over to the far right shoulder of the freeway. The fast-paced roadways of Southern California are not the place to walk around the site of an accident, exchange insurance information, take photos, or converse with other drivers involved in the accident.
The CHP offers these simple, straightforward safety tips for the moments after an auto accident:
If you commute on our crowded roadways, then you have observed drivers exiting their cars in the middle of the freeway after an accident. This extremely dangerous move could take an auto accident from a “minor” fender bender to a fatal accident. If you can move the vehicle, the first thing to do following an accident is to pull over to the far right shoulder of the freeway. The fast-paced roadways of Southern California are not the place to walk around the site of an accident, exchange insurance information, take photos, or converse with other drivers involved in the accident.
The CHP offers these simple, straightforward safety tips for the moments after an auto accident:
- Safely pull to the right shoulder.
- If you must exit the vehicle, exit on the right side of your vehicle, away from traffic.
- Once you arrange for assistance (call 911 or the CHP), return to your vehicle, get back into the vehicle from the right side (away from traffic), and put on your seat belts.
- Stay inside your vehicle with the seat belts on until help arrives.