Crash course in accident protection

MOST accidents victims fail to follow the basic rules to ensure a positive outcome.

This is according to FNB’s Head of Law on Call Tertius Bossert, who says gathering information at an accident scene right after the collision is a fail-safe way to improve chances of winning in court, but is often neglected by motorists suffering from shock.

‘Making notes of the small details – things that you would not normally give much thought to – can go a long way in ensuring a positive outcome for yourself,’ said Bossert.

‘Obtain as much information as possible about the other party involved, including all their personal details such as their name and surname, address, contact details and ID number.

‘Where possible don’t feel shy to use your phone to take a photograph of the other party’s ID document.

‘If there are witnesses to the accident, jot down their details as well, including passengers in either your vehicle or the other vehicle, as they may be required to give a statement of what occurred.’

Set the scene

Bossert said the next step should be to write down all the details of the other vehicle involved in the accident, such as the make, model, colour and registration number.

‘You may also take down the condition of the vehicle – did the indicators, brake- and headlights work directly before the accident?

‘Also make detailed notes with the correct spelling of the street names and whether the intersection was controlled by a traffic light and if so, if there were any flashing arrows giving certain lanes right of way.

‘If you are in an area that looks unsafe, or perhaps you feel intimidated and uncomfortable spending time there, you can use your phone to take a photo of the area where the accident happened.’

Weather and visibility conditions

Bossert said the weather conditions can also be significant in a case.

‘Make a note of the weather because visibility differs at different times of the day and you should note whether the accident took place at dawn, daylight, dusk or night time.

‘Following this you should make note of the surface of the road – if it was dry, wet, slippery and was in good condition or were there potholes and the painted lines not clearly visible.’

Finally, he emphasised if the SAPS or Metro Police did not attend to the scene, the accident must be reported within 24 hours at the nearest police station.

‘It might be several months before such a matter ends up in court, so you will be thankful you wrote all those details down.’