Driving for most people is a part of daily life. Car are all over the roadways, and almost everyone needs to get where they’re going immediately. With this, accidents in Florida are extremely high. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were a total of 388,032 car accidents in 2017. These are the reported accidents. In fact, due to not reporting accidents the number is likely higher.
The statistics also broke down the number of injuries related to the crashes (246,285 out of 388,032) and that March was the month with the highest accident rate. Most accidents were on Fridays, between 4 pm-5 pm, and involved someone in the range of 25-34 years of age. Many factors contribute to car accidents, such as:
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- Texting while driving
- Driving under the influence
- Adjusting the radio/sound system
- Inclement weather conditions
These factors play an important role in the causes of auto accidents. Motorcycle accidents are also a high risk, with the injuries on motorcycles having the ability to be more severe in nature. After all this risk of being on the road, many people ask “what do I do after an accident?”
WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP?
Once you feel the impact of the other vehicle, adrenaline is running through your veins. You didn’t expect the accident, and now you must deal with the other driver. Immediately after the crash, make sure you are okay. This sounds standard, but this is a traumatic experience so take a second to breathe and make sure nothing on you is hit, cut or bleeding. If you are able, do the following steps:
- Call 911 or the local police.
- Collect the names, addresses and telephone numbers from everyone involved and around the scene (independent witnesses), and take the driver’s license number of the driver(s), license plate numbers of any vehicle involved, and any insurance information.
- Take photographs and/or video of any vehicle involved, injuries, accident location.
- If there is a chance you are or may be injured, seek medical attention immediately.
- Call our office at 844-RHINO-77 so we can begin our crash investigation and make sure the proper steps are taken to protect you.
HOW DO I GET MY CAR FIXED?
Once we come on your case, we are able to help you set up your property damage claim. The property damage is the most frustrating part because most people need their car to go to work, pick up their children, buy groceries, etc. Our office helps you get this set up by contacting all insurance companies and starting the process of getting the at-fault driver’s insurance to start fixing your car. We also look into getting you into a rental car so you can drive normally while your vehicle is getting repaired. Most law firms do not help their clients with the property damage, but we believe that making sure your car is getting repaired immediately is an important part of helping you.
I’M INJURED AND NEED TO HAVE TREATMENT, WHERE DO I GO?
Unfortunately, injuries are common in auto accidents. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles stated that out of the 388,032 accidents reported, 246,285 of them involved an injury. This equates to injuries in roughly 63% of accidents. Sometimes, injuries take some time before you start feeling the effects. In Florida, you have fourteen (14) days to see someone to preserve certain benefits that you may be entitled to.
Our office wants to get you the best treatment and we realize each injury is different. That is why it is important to seek qualified medical providers who are able to help you with getting better. We communicate with our clients to make sure they are getting the help they deserve.
HOW SOON SHOULD I CALL A LAWYER?
Calling a lawyer is a big decision. Once you complete the steps at the scene, give our personal injury team a call and at the very least we can walk you through how we can help you. If you have additional questions about an accident you were in and injuries suffered as a result, contact the Tampa auto accident attorneys at RHINO Lawyers. We will explore all options of the accident, including all insurance areas to make sure you are getting the help you deserve.
