When you are involved in an accident, you may have crucial decisions to make quickly. And one of them is whether to move your car or remain in the same position. This can be a debatable subject, with the primary concerns being safety and compromising evidence.
Here is what you need to consider about this matter:
Are you safe?
If the accident occurred in the middle of the road, moving to a safer location (a shoulder, parking lot, rest stop and so on) may help prevent more accidents. If a distracted driver approaches the accident scene, they may crash into your vehicle. Even drivers who are paying attention may struggle to avoid you.
Further, moving your car might allow you to gather evidence safely. You can take pictures of your vehicle, the other driver’s car and your injuries. You can also exchange insurance information with them. Doing this with flowing traffic around you might be dangerous. Nonetheless, it may help to take a few pictures of the vehicles before moving them to show their initial positions.
Is the accident severe?
If the accident is severe and you or one of your passengers is seriously injured, it may help to stay put until the police and medical help arrive. For instance, moving your vehicle when someone has a spinal cord injury could worsen the situation.
All this assumes you can actually move the vehicle in the first place. Sometimes a car ends up with damage that makes moving it impossible.
What you do after an accident matters – it may determine the direction your claim takes. Consider getting legal guidance to make informed decisions as soon as possible.