Dealing with the Aftermath by Jason & Debi Chalik - HTML preview

MISTAKE # 1 :

Believe Accidents Happen to the Other Guy

Accidents happen to the other guy, right?

In one word, “Wrong.”

The simple answer is, you are the other guy.

Accidents happen to safe drivers with unblemished records and habitual traffic offenders alike. They happen to drivers who’ve never been in an accident, and to unlicensed drivers whose limited skills create dangerous driving situations.

Mil ions of Americans are injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents every year. Even more tragic is the fact that the majority of accidents involving cars, trucks and SUVs could have been pre-vented if proper driver safety was applied. An automobile accident can cut your life short or steal away someone you love. In a blink of an eye, it can completely alter your life and impair your physical and mental health.

There are many reasons why people get into car accidents. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that:

• Of reported accidents, 98 percent involve one single distracted driver.
• The number-one driver distraction is “rubbernecking,” which is looking at something else on the road like a breakdown or, ironically, another accident.
• Other distracted-driver activities include admiring the scenery, looking for road signs or landmarks, fiddling with the radio or music player, tending to children, interacting with passengers, and using a cell phone.
• Increased cell phone usage while driving is suspected as a culprit in more and more traffic accidents, as reflected in some state laws restricting cell phone use while driving. (According to the government website, www.distraction.gov, people who use hand-held devices, such as cellphones, while driving are four times as likely to get into injury crashes.)
• In 2008, Florida had 2,978 traffic fatalities. The state out-paced the national average in fatalities per 100,000 population, with 16.25 per 100,000, almost triple that of the best state’s number, versus the national average of 12.25.
• Among licensed drivers, about 5% are 19 years old or younger, some 8.4% are between the ages of 20 and 24, with 57% between 25 and 54 years of age. It falls off from there. Those 55 to 64 years old account for 14.8% of all accidents nationwide, with drivers between the ages of 65 and 74 accounting for 8.4% and those 75 and older accounting for 6.5%. If you fall in those statistics, you are the other guy.

Still think “the other guy” gets into accidents?

Not only can traffic accidents happen to anyone, everyone must be prepared for an accident—and its aftermath. This includes dealing with injuries—or worse. Those who’ve been in accidents must be prepared to handle the economic and emotional fall-out that invariably follows an accident—from a fender-bender to an accident with severe damage and serious injuries.

The “aftermath”—of course—usually includes handling insurance issues. From having the right coverage to dealing with other drivers who have no insurance at all, to fighting for a fair settlement with your insurance company or that of the other driver, the hassles often begin only after the dust has settled on the accident scene.

Remember: You are the other guy. Be prepared in advance for the possibility of an accident.

THE TAKEAWAY: Accidents don’t just happen to “the other guy.” They can happen to anyone. Be prepared. Know your rights. And know what to do if you are “the other guy.”