Call the Police—and Wait for Them
Right. No one is watching out for your best interests, except you. So call then and there. A police accident report is an important form of documentation of the accident.
If someone hit your car and drove off, it's vital that you lodge a police report. The police may be able to track down the at-fault driver and obtain their details. You may also want to lodge a police report when the damage to your car is significant or if the other driver is uninsured.
Call 999 or 112 straight away. Assess the casualties quickly by doing the primary survey and treat anyone with life threatening injuries first. Assume that anyone involved in the accident may have neck or spinal injuries.
In NSW, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and give personal details to another driver involved in the crash, any person injured, or the owner of damaged property as a result of the accident is an offence. The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of 20 penalty units.
HIT AND RUN LAWS, OFFENCES AND PENALTIES IN NEW SOUTH WALES
For first-time offenders, the maximum penalty is a $3,300 fine or 18 months in jail or both. With this is also an automatic driver disqualification period of 3 years or a minimum of 12 months at the court's discretion.
Many minor injuries can often heal in six to eight weeks after the initial accident. For example, with proper treatment, broken bones can heal in six to eight weeks following an accident, though some symptoms can linger after that point.
Everyone's recovery is different. Some people will have strong emotional responses such as fear, sadness, guilt and anger (and other people won't). These feelings are usually brief and should begin to reduce in the days and weeks after the crash. After a car crash, 70% of people are back at work within eight weeks.
Sit In The Middle Seat
About 56 percent of car accidents occur as front impacts; this means that the passengers in the front are more likely to be injured. But as a back seat passenger, the risk of injury decreases. According to the research, the middle back seat is the safest place to sit in a vehicle during impact.
This means the ankle and foot will receive the full force of the car's impact and of the weight of the person's body. This extreme tension near the ankle and foot area can cause severe damage to the tendons and ligaments, resulting in fractures and tears.
Why do people lose their shoes when they're struck by vehicles? Basic centrifugal force, shoe is on the end of a long lever (your leg). You get hit by a car and sent flying and spinning, the shoes are on the very end of your body were centrifugal force is greatest. Shoes are usually tied on loosely and they slip off.
It is understandable to feel anxious and paranoid after a car accident. Many accident victims struggle with emotional distress. The symptoms of emotional distress can last for a few days or weeks after the accident. Some individuals may experience symptoms for several months or longer.
Adrenaline. It's a natural hormone produced by the body during traumatic experiences. Adrenaline can mask a person's pain and heighten their awareness. This is useful for getting out of danger or fighting off an attacker.
Sleeping a lot after a car accident may just be a person's body's way of dealing with the trauma of the crash and building up strength to recover. It may be a natural reaction to a stressful and scary event. Or it could be the sign that something more serious is wrong, such as a traumatic brain injury.
Don't say “I'm sorry”
A simple “I'm sorry” can be used to show that you admitted guilt and responsibility for the accident. Even if you mean “I'm sorry you're late for work” or “I'm sorry you are hurt” – try to avoid using the words “I'm sorry”.
Your apology will be seen as admission of fault: Apologizing at the scene of the accident creates a record of that apology, which the insurance company will see. Their job is to keep you from obtaining the compensation you deserve, so you can expect them to use your apology against you as evidence of your culpability.
After an accident, even one that's clearly not your fault, saying “I'm sorry” may feel natural. However, you should avoid saying “sorry” or any other word of apology in this situation. This is because doing so may result in the other party taking it as an admission of guilt.
if anyone is injured and the police are not at the crash, you must report the crash to the nearest open police station. if there is any property damage and the owner (or Police) is not there, you must report the crash to the nearest open police station.
The person who is at fault is the person who caused the accident. Sometimes more than one person is at fault. However, the person responsible for paying for the damage may be someone else not involved in the accident, for example, an employer.
LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT WHERE NO INJURY OCCURS
The charge of leaving the scene of an accident carries a maximum fine of approximately $826.10 and a maximum term of imprisonment of 14 days.
If your vehicle is too damaged to move and you are blocking the road, keep your hazard lights on and call the police for assistance. Once you're safe, talk to the other parties involved in the car accident. If anyone is injured or trapped, first call 000 for emergency assistance.
If you were at fault, you would normally be responsible for: the costs to repair the damage to the other car (up to the market value of the car if it was written-off), and. other related costs (such as towing, using a hire car).
If someone was seriously hurt or died
If you caused the accident and left the scene, but someone was seriously hurt or died because of the accident, the police could charge you with an indictable offence. This is very serious. You could go to jail for up to ten years or get a big fine. Get legal help .