Oh boy… your teenagers have reached the legal driving age and naturally, the first thing they want to do is get behind the wheel. After several months of drilling safety rules into their heads, you finally decide to let them venture off on their own. Maybe you let them drive to school or to a friend’s house so that they get familiar with being behind the wheel. Then you get the call… they’ve been in an accident.
There is probably nothing more gut wrenching to a parent then hearing from their teenager that they’ve been involved in a car accident. Even if they’re telling you they’re okay, you’re probably going to be going crazy until you can reach them in person. Though there are a lot of things going through your mind, it will be important for you to remain calm and help your teen get through this.
Instruct Your Teen to Remain Calm – Your teen is likely going to be a bit frantic seeing as how it is their first accident. The best thing you can tell them is to remain calm.
Find A Way To Reach Them – Because an accident can be scary for an adult, much less a teenager, you want to do what you can to reach them so that they have support when the police arrive.
Contact the Authorities – In the meantime, you need to contact the police to report the accident. Ask your teen for the information (i.e. where they are) and contact the police right away.
Collect Information – Once the police have been called, instruct your teen to collect pertinent information from the other drivers involved. Inform them not to admit fault but to simply get the name, address, phone number, and insurance information from all involved.
Seek Medical Attention – whether your teen has obvious injuries or not, it is imperative that they seek medical attention. This will start the paper trail for your insurance claim. It may also be necessary if you intend to file suit against the guilty party.
Contact an Attorney – If you believe your teen is at fault or has sustained injuries during the accident, you will need to contact an attorney right away. They will advise you of your legal rights and help you file the insurance claim while providing necessary legal protection. You can reach out to specialty legal firms, to get the process started.
File the Insurance Claim – Once you’ve secured an attorney you want to then file your insurance claim. Since your insurance company will ask for a recorded statement from you and your teen, it is important that your attorney is present so that they don’t say anything that might put full responsibility on your teen.
The Waiting Game
Once you’ve filed your insurance claim the rest is simply a waiting game. You’ll need to allow the insurance companies time to investigate the accident and determine who’s at fault. This could take a considerable amount of time depending on how many people were involved, how much information you were able to obtain, and the severity of the accident. With any luck your insurance provider should call you back and tell you how to have your vehicle repaired. If it is believed that your teen was at fault, you will likely have to pay a deductible along with any other expenses that are not covered by insurance. However, if it was not your teen’s fault, the “at fault” driver’s insurance provider should cover the costs.
Negotiating
If your teen was proven to be not at fault the other insurance company may reach out for a settlement. No matter how sweet the offer might sound, be sure that you talk it over with your attorney to ensure that you’re being adequately compensated. Not only should the guilty party pay for the damage to your vehicle, but they should also pay for any medical bills and other financial losses that may be directly related to the accident. If you cannot reach a reasonable agreement the case will be sent to court for further deliberation.
Nothing is as scary as your teen’s first accident, but you can never be too prepared. To try and prevent an accident, be sure that you talk with your teen about traffic laws and safety. You should also educate them on what to do in the event of an accident. Each of the above steps will help you and your teen in recovering any financial loss from the accident and getting life back to normal.
Comments & Reviews
I think you’re right that you can never be too prepared. Car accidents are always unexpected. Having a game plan and good insurance will probably make these types of situations less stressful.
This is an awesome guideline! It makes me so thankful my kids aren’t anywhere close to driving!! lol They’ll be driving before I know it though. Sniff!
Dreading my son’s first accident!
Good tips! I can remember my first and picturing a young teenager I can only imagine with their minds, hormones etc etc.
Accident is my worst fear
I’m already scared for the day when my little one starts driving….and he’s only 2 months! ?
Good tips but I hope we don’t have to use them
Great tips, I got a few years before they start driving. It worries me.
Oh my goodness…. I still have 12 years til my oldest will be a driver but these are good practical tips!
We are just a couple short years away from our son driving. Great article!
In couple years my oldest one will start driving..good tips,need to know!
Good tips
My sister had 3 car accidents in a short amount of time so thinking about when my 3 boys will be driving has me nervous already.
Thanks for the info! Hope I never have to use it.
My kids are still young (my oldest being 6), but thinking about their driving days definitely scares me to no end. These are all great tips and great advice for dealing with your first accident. I believe the number one lesson to teach a new driver is to pay attention to the other drivers! You can be the safest driver in the world but not paying attention to others could endanger your life.
Ugh… accidents!! How awful hey?!?! Thankfully so many insurance agents are totally amazing these days!! My company was so helpful when I had mine I wanted to jump through the phone and hug them!!
The teen years are just so tough in general and then when you add independence and cars it is even harder. Good tips to remember and keep in mind so as not to go into a panic.
My son totaled my favorite car. I was just glad he was okay. Thanks for the tips.
Great advice! I’m so glad my son’s far away from being able to drive.
I don’t even want to think about my son driving!
Great tips! Accidents can be overwhelming and scary for anyone, let alone a teenager!
Oh, wow!! I have been through this a couple of times already. I would recommend everyone who is going to have a teen driving soon to sit down and go through these very helpful tips. So important for them to know what to do. If someone doesn’t explain it to them, how would they know? Thank you for this great article. I will be copying this and holding on to it for when my grandkids get a little older.
My heart skipped a beat a the thought! I remember my first accident… as a teen. Thanks for this article.
these are really great tips==thanks for sharing
I got in an accident when I was a teenager. I rear ended someone when I didn’t notice that they stopped. I was so nervous because I thought my parents were going to be so mad at me. But they were just happy that I was okay and everyone else was okay.
Good advice, though it made my stomach hurt just thinking about it. My daughter is only 12, but the thought of her behind the wheel of a car terrifies me.
These are some great tips to share with anyone who has teenagers.
Thank you for this important advice.