One of the toughest parts of parenting is helping your kids prepare to become responsible adults who can take care of themselves without your help. If you’re a parent of a teen, it’s all too important to have these conversations, especially when they become old enough to start driving. Car crashes are one of the leading causes of teenage and premature deaths in the United States. According to research, teen drivers are three times more likely to be involved in fatal car accidents than drivers aged 20 and above. As a parent, watching your teen become more independent, especially on the road, can be scary because they are still learning so much about the world. Unfortunately, car crashes are unavoidable, and the best thing you can do as a parent is to not only teach them how to avoid accidents but also learn what to do if they are ever involved in one.
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Seek medical care
The first and most important thing to pass on to your child is seeking medical attention and care after the accident. It doesn’t matter if the accident isn’t severe or if there aren’t any visible wounds. What happens is that, after accidents, the body produces extra amounts of adrenaline, which can dull any pain and not make your child think that they are hurt. The only way to confirm they are fine is by getting a medical check-up. A medical professional would identify injuries, diagnose them correctly, and provide treatment. Ensure that your teen has all the important emergency contacts saved onto their phone, including your number. Remember to also stay calm and collected when they call you. The last thing they would need is you freaking out.
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Take pictures
When anyone gets involved in an accident, it’s very easy to forget some important things. You might be in shock or feel a rush of emotions, and you might not act rationally. Imagine this happens to your teen who just started driving. It’s going to be a scary time for them. It’s your job to always remind them to remain calm and rational after an accident. One of the most important things they can do is take pictures of the accident scene, including the damage to their vehicles. It doesn’t have to be the best and clearest shot; they can use their phones to take photos. These pictures will help your attorney make valid claims during any legal or insurance disputes. If they also can, encourage them to get the contact information of any witnesses, which can strengthen their case in case of any settlement issue.
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Contact the police
Another important lesson to teach your child is to call the police after being involved in an accident. Nowadays, it’s very common for young teens to have mobile phones, as they have become necessary. You will never know when your child will need to make an emergency call when they are alone, so you must provide them with various avenues as much as possible. What you can do is not encourage them to use their phones while driving since that can lead to accidents. Having law enforcement present at the crash site will help them better manage the accident scene. They would also interview your teen and gather evidence. Your teen would also have to write a police report. With the police present, your teen will be better protected. They don’t have to be afraid to call for help, even if the accident seems small or minor. You must also remind them to always get a police report or at least make plans to obtain a report later.
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Call a parent
Once your child has contacted emergency services, they must contact you or another parent. It’s normal for teenagers to want to handle problems alone or seek help from their friends. However, they are not experienced enough to handle such emergencies. Instead, please encourage them to call you whenever they can. You must also remain calm and be their voice of reason. With them now centered and focused, they would be able to make smarter decisions until you arrive at the scene of the accident. Also, it would protect your teen from the other driver who might want to take advantage of their inexperience or be confrontational.
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Contact your attorney
It’s always an excellent idea to contact your attorney shortly after the accident has occurred, especially if your child is being accused of being at fault or if the other party makes injury or significant damage claims. Law firms like Bogin, Munns, and Munns have reputable car accident attorneys prepared to help their clients after a car crash. Your attorney would help assess who is at fault, obtain a police report, calculate damages, and file insurance claims. They will also defend you if the accident results in a court case.
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Don’t accept fault
Your child must not admit fault at the crash scene, even if they feel like they did something wrong. In most cases, the person who feels they are at fault turns out not to be. So, they cannot know for sure until the police and their attorney have determined it. Teach them to remain silent until they have spoken with an attorney. Suppose your teen might have contributed to the accident. Even in that case, it’s also likely that the other party might have also contributed. Ensure your child refrains from discussing the accident with the other party; the only information they should give should be to the police and their lawyer.
These are a few tips and strategies to help your kid remain calm and collected after getting involved in an accident. It might be a rough and distressing time you cannot fully prevent. However, you would be more comfortable knowing they can handle themselves whenever you aren’t around. Remember that accidents happen, so try to lend a supporting hand instead of being hard on your child.
