Everyone’s been talking about the “new normal” lately, and how many things have changed from what we may have been used to before COVID-19 and nationwide uprisings completely transformed our worldviews. While it does not seem that we will be going back to our old ways anytime soon, there are a few things to keep in mind.
One particularly important factor that has changed that we may not have been as aware of is the way that car accidents are handled–while pre-COVID accidents may have required a certain set of responses, now people are attempting to limit their contact with one another and avoid going to the hospital for frivolous reasons. These, along with other changes, may not seem like a big deal to safe drivers, but when you get into an accident, it’s best to know how to respond.
Car Accidents Before COVID
Before COVID-19 hit, car accidents typically took a pretty standard routine. Once you’ve made sure the other driver is okay and not in need of medical assistance, exchanging insurance information is the norm. If the person who hit you flees the scene or seems intoxicated, a quick call to the police or highway patrol is the best way to handle it, along with a police report. Afterwards, your insurance will follow up with you about the results of your claim, and your car will be fixed.
Car Accidents During Quarantine
During quarantine, it has been a bit hard to know how to react to car accidents. While it’s important to be sure that you are not injured, calling for an ambulance during a time when hospitals and ERs are already overloaded doesn’t seem like a good idea. Similarly with contacting the police–with limited staffing, many police forces don’t have the officers to send out on a low-level call. Minimizing contact with the other driver is also important unless they are severely injured, so you may not have a chance to collect their insurance information, leading you to have to pay for repairs at your own cost or risk your policy going up. While this may seem unfair, now that quarantine is over is the time to ensure you are taken care of.
Car Accidents After Lockdown Ends
We’ve now entered “the new normal”, with many states across the US slowly dialing back COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. A car accident now will look similar as before COVID, but typically both drivers will wear face masks and only call an ambulance or the police in the event of an emergency. While it does seem safer now to exchange information, doing so over the phone might still be the smartest way to handle this.
Injuries are a whole other matter. With many hospitals still battling COVID, it’s important to only head to the hospital if you are in danger from your injuries. However, just because you don’t want to go to the hospital doesn’t mean you should ignore them. If you weren’t at fault for your accident, you may be able to find a lawyer who will look out for your best interests. It may seem a bit much to sue someone due to accident injuries, but when insurance doesn’t come through or won’t support you, there are always other options.
