What to do when your teenager gets into a car accident? Preeti Baid April 18, 2023 Parenting, YMK 208 When your child is injured, you may be feeling like you are at a loss of what to do next. You may feel so lost that you don’t know what to do or say. There are a ton of car accidents that happen every single day. If our teenagers are driving and are on the road, we need to help them understand how to deal with an accident if the situation ever arises. You should try to help them figure out the next steps so that they can come out stronger on the other side. 1. Contact the Police & Report the Facts When your teenager is involved in an accident, it’s important to make sure they call the police. This is because the police will then be able to take care of the situation and get them to help. When reporting an accident, stay calm and speak with someone on the phone if possible so that you can give details about what happened and where it happened. This is really crucial in order to deal with things such as legal claims or even insurance claims. 2. Call Your Teenager’s Driver’s License and Insurance Companies In the last few years, there has been an increase in claims that insurance companies are denying claims for teenagers. This can be due to the rising number of Driving Under The Influence cases but mainly because of the lack of understanding on how to file a claim and what steps to take. It is important to document every single thing at the scene so that you can rightfully claim your compensation. Make sure that you stay at the scene till the end and get as many details as you can get in order to show it to the insurance company. 3. Call for Medical Help It is important to first and foremost figure out if anyone is hurt at the scene of the accident. Teach your child to first check if they have any major injuries and then to move on to the other party and help them out. They should contact medical professionals as soon as they get the chance in case anyone is severely hurt. 4. Contact Their Doctor If you’re a teenager and have been in a car accident, it’s important to get checked out by your doctor. In the US, there are a number of people that die every year because they didn’t know they were bleeding internally. This is why you should get your teenager checked out after the accident so that you can make sure they are safe and there is nothing dangerous that will harm them later. 5. Get Legal Help For Them When you are involved in a car accident, it is always good to get help from legal professionals. They can help you find the best way to go about your compensation claim and what to do next. In some cases, a lawyer might be able to make sure that you get fair compensation for the damages that you have incurred as a result of the accident. You can also use legal support after a car accident to build up your case and make sure that there is no chance of losing any money if the other party refuses to pay or if they try to deny your claim. This will help your teenager in standing up for themselves if they have done nothing wrong. 6. Deal with the Trauma of a Car Accident Car accidents can be extremely traumatic for children. It can be difficult for them to process the emotions that come with the accident, and it is important for parents to help their children make sense of what happened. Being able to talk about the trauma of a car accident with your child is key in helping them cope. Talking about the events that led up to the accident, what they were doing at the time, and how they felt during and after it will help them process their emotions better. Talking about how you felt during and after an event helps your child understand how they feel as well. It also helps them learn how to cope with their emotions in more healthy ways like talking about what happened or drawing pictures. The best practice for getting kids back on track after an accident is to provide them with the right environment and resources. It is important to equip yourself with the right information that you need to know in order to help your kids get back on track. SHARE THIS POST