The chances of being a car accident witness are high since car accidents may happen any time anywhere. Even though you are not required by law to stop when an accident occurs in front of you, depending on the severity of the crash, you may follow the tips below to keep yourself safe, help others in need if possible, and provide useful evidence for the victim’s car accident claim. Being a witness in a car collision may be distressful and frightening. However, you may decide about your reactions keeping the following general guidelines in mind.

If you have any case-specific questions, you may seek legal advice from a South Carolina auto accident attorney. Provided that you were not involved in the accident, you are not obliged by the law to stop and help.

A person that was at the scene of the accident and saw what happened is defined as a witness. Usually, the witnesses are either pedestrians or in the surrounding vehicles.

However, the drivers of the vehicles or pedestrians that were involved in the accident must be excluded. The passengers of the cars involved in the accident may be considered witnesses only if they can prove that they are not biased.

Ensure Your Safety

If you witness a car accident while driving, you must be very careful if you decide to pull over. First of all, make sure you are safe. You do not want to cause another accident. You have to put on your hazard lights and park, leaving enough distance for the emergency vehicles.

Call For Help

If you witness a car accident, you should immediately call 911. Sometimes people assume that other witnesses have contacted the emergency services. Do not assume that because precious time will be wasted for the injured individuals until someone dials the emergency number. You should inform the emergency service operator about the accident’s specific location and other details about the people involved in it, like the number of them.

Remain Calm

It is crucial to try and remain calm and focus under such tense circumstances. After you check about your own safety and call the emergency services, you may carefully approach the car crash scene. If you believe that there is no danger for you to go near the vehicles, you may check upon the victims and let them know that assistance is coming.

Do not move an injured person unless you believe there is a risk of the car catching fire or you are a trained emergency responder. The injuries of the car accident victim may get even worse if you attempt to move them. The most important thing you can do under this pressure is to reassure the victims that the emergency personnel are on their way and remain calm. The professionals will handle the medical treatment as soon as they arrive at the auto crash scene.

Give A Statement To the Police

When the police and the emergency personnel arrive at the accident scene, the police will ask you to give them a statement. You have to be honest and describe the facts of the auto accident with accuracy. You will be asked to provide your contact details and be available to answer questions as a witness to the police, the insurance company, or medical authorities.

To determine your credibility as a witness, you will be asked where you were at the time of the car crash. It is essential that the witness saw the vehicles before, during, and after the accident.

These procedures may seem inconvenient and time-consuming for you. Nevertheless, your statement may be crucial for the victims to be able to claim the compensation they deserve for their damages.

Keep Driving Safely

Following this intense experience, you will have to safely go back to your car and drive to your destination. It is vital to keep yourself calm and focused on the road. Try not to be distracted by your emotions.

Contact a Car Accident Lawyer In Greenville, SC

If you or someone you love were involved in a car accident, you should seek legal advice from a Greenville car accident lawyer. Call us today at Brumback and Langley law firm to arrange for your free consultation. Testifying as a witness may be a challenging procedure for you, as it is not straightforward. Our team of auto accident lawyers in South Carolina will assist and guide you through this difficult period after an accident.