If you’re a driver, you’re probably going to take to public roads on a regular basis. This is convenient. You can go wherever you want, when you want, no longer tied to public transport timetables and drop off locations. It can also prove cheaper to get from A to B if you’re carpooling and splitting the cost of fuel with others! However, when you take to the roads you have a big responsibility and you need to behave in as safe and sensible a manner as possible. There’s always the risk of getting into an incident. This doesn’t necessarily just fall down to you – others can be irresponsible on the roads and their behaviour can result in you getting into an accident too. Now, incidents on the road are never ideal. But it doesn’t help that there’s usually a huge financial cost attached to road accidents too. If you find yourself in a road incident, there are various steps that you can take to make the issue a lot less costly. Here are some to consider.
Stop and Take Responsibility for Actions
Of course, it’s a legal requirement to stop when you’re involved in a road incident – whether you’re at fault or not. You need to make sure everyone involved is okay. But it’s also important from a financial angle too. By stopping, you will be able to take the other individual’s insurance details and this can help to cover the cost of repairing any damage to your vehicle. If you were at fault, it’s still better to stop. Sure, your insurance premium may go up as a result of the accident, but this is still preferable to the fines you’ll face if you don’t stop. You’ll inevitably be caught – many drivers have dash cams, many will have taken your licence plate, and chances are there’s CCTV around to. So, stop and take responsibility for your actions or hold someone else accountable for theirs.
Contest Tickets or Pay Early
If you are in the wrong when you’re driving and get a ticket, it’s important that you pay it off as quickly as possible. Often, you will be able to pay a reduced or discounted fine if you pay within a set number of days. Don’t sit around and wait to pay – you’ll simply end up having to pay more for no reason. If you feel you weren’t in the wrong and have been wrongly given a ticket, contest it. You may be able to prove you didn’t deserve that 22349 a vc for speeding, or that parking ticket for parking somewhere you were actually entitled to park.
Contact a Lawyer
If you have suffered injury at the hands of an incident you were involved in, contact a lawyer. They may be able to seek compensation on your behalf. This can cover medical costs and lost earnings from time you may have had to take off work.
Of course, it’d be better to not be involved in any accident. But these are just a few ways you can make road incidents less costly – they can help to reduce the negative impact of an accident, so incorporate them into your plan if you need!
