When you have a teenager who is learning how to drive, it can be a stressful time. Teenagers tend to have more accidents than other drivers, whether it is because of overconfidence, inexperience, or just bad luck. It can be a stressful thing to deal with, but there are a few things you can do to help reduce the stress and help your teenager deal with a car accident.
Educate Your Teen
Your teen should fully understand what steps must be taken following an automotive accident because you’ll deal with the situation easier if the teen can handle the early phases without your help. When you talk with your teenager, go over which items should be provided to the police officer and the other driver shortly after the accident happens. In most cases, an officer will need a statement, which will include driver’s license and insurance information and a description of what happened. They should also exchange insurance information and contact information with the other driver.
Implement Practical Procedures
When you arrive at the scene, you shouldn’t stress out, as any tension will impact how your teenager deals with the stress. Take notes so that you can accurately describe the damages when you work with an insurance adjuster. You should also take photos of the damages if the collision caused any damage. The lighting is very important during this process, so you should align each shot so that the damaged portions of the car can be thoroughly and easily inspected by an insurance adjuster.
Set Terms for Paying for Damages
After you have enough photos and notes, you should set terms for the insurance payment process. If your teen was at fault, consider including them in some of the payments to help them learn their lesson. If the accident was the other driver’s fault, you shouldn’t have to pay anything for insurance, so don’t punish your teen for this. In the case of a hit-and-run accident, you may have to pay for some things because you don’t have the other driver’s insurance to pay for damages. In this situation, consider contacting a car accident lawyer who can assist you in getting compensation for extra expenses.
Strive to Prevent Another Accident
After an automotive accident happens, you may be able to prevent another costly situation by equipping the vehicle with beneficial safety and prevention tools once the automotive is repaired. For example, if the accident was caused by sliding in winter weather, new tires with enhanced treads can possibly prevent a second accident in areas that have harsh road conditions. You can also go over specifically what happened during the accident with your teen and develop a plan to deal with similar situations in the future to avoid another accident.
