No one would want to
be involved in any car accident, but with the existence of bad roads,
drunk-driving and negligence of road laws as well as speeding in Nigeria, the
probability of an accident happening at one point in time is rather high. Yes,
It is scary and unimaginable, but then, it is also very important that
pedestrians and motorists to know how to react if it happens to them.
What exactly should you do? Jumia Travel, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal, shares 5 things to do
when you are a victim of a road accident in Nigeria.
Stay calm, do not lose your temper
The first reaction of most
Nigerians when they are involved in an accident, no matter how minimal, is that
they get riled up and lose their temper. No doubt, getting in an accident
unleashes a lot of unhealthy emotions, including fear and anger; however, you
need to stay calm. Screaming at the other driver, laying blame or yelling is
never a good idea. Again, don’t give in to fear or rage and tell people that
the accident was your fault as you would be admitting liability,
which could expose you to a lawsuit.
Do not leave the scene of the
accident
Unless you are badly injured
and have to be rushed to the hospital, ensure you remain at the scene of the
accident, and if you are a pedestrian, do not let the driver leave. Get all the
motorists basic information, as you would in the event of an auto collision:
Driver’s license, insurance information, license plate number. Then whip out
your phone and snap pictures of everything else. If it’s a hit and run, try to
snap a photo of the car’s license plate, or at least aim to make a mental note
of its make and color. For the offender (the person whose vehicle has caused
the accident), leaving the scene of an accident can be a misdemeanor offense
and can rise to a felony if people are injured.
Call the Police and file a report
No matter how minimal the
impact of the accident, ensure you alert the police and wait for them to come
and view the scene of the accident. Do not give into any “gentleman’s
agreement” to not get the police involved, as you cannot predict what may
evolve later on as a result of the accident. Also, ensure you fill a police
accident report afterward. Without police documentation, you basically have no
proof the accident ever happened and you cannot get help from any insurance
company.
Involve a Lawyer if you have to
Depending on the gravity of the
accident, the best thing to do is to hire a lawyer
immediately. Many Nigerians make the mistake of underestimating the
legal involvement associated with an accident. You will need some
good quality legal help to ensure that you are not being taken advantage of
when it comes to sorting out damages. Again, you may have difficulties with
your insurance company following the accident and it will take a skilled
professional to negotiate these issues to put the most money in your pocket as
possible.
Go to a hospital and get a
medical clearance
Even if you do not have any
cuts or injuries, you need to go to the hospital for a check-up. That way you
are certain there are no internal injuries and the rush of adrenalin, as well
as the force of the impact, has not affected you in any way. Failing to get
yourself checked immediately could cause a lot of problems for your health
later on, especially if there was something that was not detected.
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