It is unfortunate, but accidents happen on the roads constantly and it is important that you know how to react in case you are ever in an accident. Matters can be much more complicated if the vehicle that you are driving at the time is a company car, but this is also common as many businesses have vehicles on the roads throughout the working day. So, what steps should you take if you are involved in an accident in a company car? Read on to find out how you can stay safe, protect other road users and take the right course of action.
Check For Injuries & Get to Safety
As with any type of accident, it is important to first check for injuries to yourself and passengers and get the vehicle to the side of the road if it is possible. You should then turn on the hazards, call an ambulance if necessary, and alert the authorities if required. Keep in mind that some injuries, such as whiplash, may not present symptoms until later so keep an eye on yourself and get checked over if it is a large accident.
Check On Others Involved
It is then important to check on the other people that were involved in the accident and to make sure that they are all ok. Try to avoid placing or taking blame at this point and instead focus on safety, giving and providing insurance details and gathering as much evidence as possible. This might include:
- Photographs of damage and injuries
- Witness contact details
- CCTV footage
- Dash cam footage
Determine Who is to Blame
It is then a case of determining who is to blame for the accident and this can be slightly more complex when it is a company car. As an example, if you were to drive into another car because you were distracted then this would be your fault, but if it is because of a mechanical failure then your employer could be liable. It will also depend on whether you were “on the job” at the time or not as there are limits to your employer’s liability.
Credit Hire
If the vehicle has been damaged and is no longer roadworthy, then the law states that a like-for-like replacement can be provided. A credit hire provider will hire the car if the user has insufficient funds and you can recover costs from the party that was at fault. Of course, the recovery of credit hire charges can be complex with defendant insurers arguing a number of issues, so it is a smart idea to use experienced credit hire solicitors if you find yourself in this situation.
Address the Issue
It is always important to reflect after a car accident, especially if it was your fault. A driver might want to think about what mistakes they made and what they need to do going forward, but it might also be important for the employer to step up vehicle maintenance if it was an issue with the car.
Car accidents can always be stressful, upsetting and complex, but particularly when a company car is involved, which will always bring additional challenges. The above are the main steps that need to be taken and will hopefully help to make the process easier.
