Las Vegas is famous for a lot of things, but it’s infamous for its traffic.
Vegas ranks as the 26th worst city for traffic in the country, and while that may not sound too bad, that’s out of over 400 cities nationwide. And where there’s traffic, there are bound to be a few accidents.
Here’s everything you need to know about what you need to do after getting into a car accident in Vegas.
Check for Injuries
Before you even try to unbuckle your seatbelt, you should take a few moments to check yourself and your passengers for any injuries. If you or one of your passengers sustained an injury during the accident, immediately call 911, and try to remain as still as possible until emergency services, so you don’t risk exacerbating any damage. If possible, stay in your car.
If you’re ok and it’s safe, get out of your car and check on any other parties involved to make sure no one needs immediate medical care.
Keep in mind that some car accident injuries may take a day or two to show up. So, in the days following your accident, take it easy and consult a medical professional if you have any concerns.
Get to Safety
Once you’re sure everyone is ok and there are no severe injuries at the scene, your next step is to get yourself and your car out of traffic and to a safer location. Pull over onto the shoulder, into a turn lane, or a nearby parking lot if possible — try not to stray too far from the site of the accident.
Your goal is to clear the road enough so regular traffic can pass and get yourself to a safe enough location where you can proceed with contacting emergency services and gathering information about the accident.
Call the Police
Once you’re out of the flow of traffic, it’s time to contact the police. There were any injuries as a result of the accident, Nevada law requires that you call 911. If no one needs any medical attention, call 311 for the non-emergency response unit or the Nevada Highway Patrol at *647.
A police officer will arrive to investigate the scene write the accident report, which will often determine who was at fault.
The officer will also provide you and the other parties involved with an Accident Information Exchange sheet. You may need to provide copies of this sheet to your insurance company and an attorney if you or one of the other parties involved decides to press charges.
If you need a reliable attorney to help you after a car accident, you can find one here.
Contact Your Insurance Company
After you call emergency services, you should immediately contact your insurance company to report the accident. Remember that while you should be honest with your insurance company, you do not need to admit fault explicitly. Make sure you copy down your claim number where you’ll easily be able to access it.
Gather Information
After you contact your insurance company and while you’re still on the scene of the accident, you’ll need to start gathering information for the claim.
Start by collecting contact and insurance information from every party involved. Then take plenty of pictures of your vehicle and the scene for your claim.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Vegas
While you can’t predict a car accident, that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for one. Now that you know what to do after a car accident in Vegas, you’ll be able to handle the situation if it should ever arise.
Are you looking for more advice on how to handle the unexpected? We’ve got you covered. Check out the rest of our blog for more helpful articles today!
