Despite all the precautions that we can take in our work driving a commercial vehicle, there are many factors that could cause us to be involved in an accident; many of them are completely out of our control such as weather, road conditions, construction areas and of course, other drivers with whom we share the road.

For this reason, we have to be prepared to be able to act correctly in an unexpected situation such as an accident. With the sincerest hope that you never need them, here are some useful tips in the event of being involved in an accident:

1) Don´t let panic invade you, stay calm. As a trucker everyone expects you to know better how to proceed in these cases. Never admit guilt. This investigative work corresponds to the police and the judges.

2) Stop your vehicle at the scene of the accident unless you receive an order from the police or see a sign indicating that you should not remain in the place. You should never stop to protect other vehicles involved in an accident, unless it is ordered by the police, since if another vehicle hits you, you will be considered guilty.

3) Secure the scene of the accident, otherwise you will be exposed to greater liability with respect to the accident. If you think you will be at the scene of the accident for more than 10 minutes, you should put on your reflectors immediately. One searchlight should be located 10 feet before the crash site, the second 100 feet before, and a third 100 feet behind the second.

4) Get help, immediately call 911 for help.

5) Obtain information from witnesses, if it is possible that there are people who want to cooperate, ask for their name, address and telephone number or take a photograph of the vehicle´s license plates.

6) Notify your company.

7) Take lots of photos of all sides of the vehicles involved in the accident. It is also very important to take panoramic photos of the accident scene. Even if the other party says there is no damage and there will be no claim, protect yourself and take photos. Many times, people change their minds if they know they can take advantage of the situation.

We wish you a good day and have a safe trip.