The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that pedestrian accidents are on the rise. From 2017 to the present, there was an exponential rise of about 3% per annum in the number of accidents that involve pedestrians. Many of these accidents, of course, involve a car driving at an illegal speed. Many still involved pedestrians crossing the streets illegally. No matter what the evidence points, the fact of the matter is that these accidents can be physically debilitating to the pedestrian and legally damaging to the driver at fault.
Drivers can seriously injure a pedestrian even if they are driving only at ten miles per hour. If you are driving more than that, the accident can be fatal. As a driver, it’s important to know what you must do and not do after the accident. For example, while normal people will feel guilty immediately after the accident, no one needs to hear you say, “I feel so guilty.” That will be detrimental to your case in the future.
The victim, if he is conscious, will most likely call a pedestrian accident attorney. This lawyer will guide the victim through the legal process of filing a police report. You should do the same thing. You need to call your lawyer and ask for legal advice to navigate the next few hours as you face police questioning and deal with the victim.
Administer Medical Treatment Beyond First Aid
Do not administer medical treatment to the victim beyond what is required of you in an emergency. Provide first aid to the victim but do nothing more as you wait for the paramedics. Even if you are a health care worker, you may not be in the right frame of mind to provide medical treatment. You could be facing more legal problems in the future if you do. So the first thing you don’t need to do is provide medical treatment beyond what is normal in an emergency. Anything more than that could be detrimental to your case.
Play the Blame Game
What good would it do to blame the other party? You and the other party don’t have the power to decide who is at fault. That will be the decision of the courts. Arguing with the victim under these circumstances will make you look callous. You will look cold and heartless. Those are not good traits when you face the court. There are no good things that come out of playing the blame game right after the accident. It will only aggravate the situation. Not to mention, you will stress out the victim to no end. Have a heart and save your arguments later (even if you think the victim is at fault).
Exchange Information About What Happened
One of the first things you have to do is exchange information with all the parties involved in the accident. That includes your name, insurance information, email addresses, phone numbers, etc.
Don’t go beyond that. Avoid talking to the other party or the friends and family of the victim. Telling them you feel guilty about the accident will not be helpful in the long run. Be careful of what you say because every word that comes out of your mouth from thereon can be used against you.
Being Aggressive
If you feel panicky, angry, and fearful, calm yourself down. There’s no need for hysterics right after the accident. Everything that you say and do can be used against you. Do not forget that in this day and age, it’s so easy to whip up a camera phone and record everything you do. Not only do you risk going viral on social media, but aggressive acts such as shouting and cursing will also affect your chances in court. If you need to vent or rant, call someone you trust and speak in a low voice so no one can hear.
Check Google for ‘Legal Advice’
Google is a lot of things, but it cannot give accurate legal advice. The law differs per state and per situation. There is no one answer to all legal matters. You need to contact a trusted lawyer to guide you through the first few hours after the accident. These are critical hours. Whatever you do and say during these hours can be used in court. So, always depend on a lawyer you trust rather than on what you read on the internet.
Keep your wits with you during accidents. You won’t be helping yourself by going berserk. Calm down and remember that whatever you do and say from thereon will affect the outcome of the case that will be filed against you.
