Being involved in a car crash can be a devastating and life-altering experience. It is no surprise that many people find themselves in shock after an accident, and unsure of what to do next. The best thing you can do in this moment is take a deep breath, bring your awareness to your body, and check in with yourself.

Am I Injured?

This process of bringing your awareness to your body is important. You can start at your head and bring your awareness down until you have checked in with all parts of yourself, taking note of any pain, discomfort, numbness, or other feelings that differ from before the crash. This process allows you to determine the extent of your injuries and whether it is safe to move. It will also help you later when talking to the police, as you will be able to tell them accurately about any pain and discomfort you are experiencing to make sure it is included in the report. Many times people are in shock after an accident, or experience a major adrenaline rush. Both of these experiences can make it easy to ignore pain or less obvious injuries. However, concussions, internal bleeding, contusions, and other injuries are very serious, but can often be easy to ignore if you are not actively checking in with yourself.

Do I Need to Call the Police?

You do not need to call the police for every car accident. If the crash was very minor, no one was injured, both of the vehicles are operating, and there is no debris in the road, then it is likely unnecessary to call the police; you can file an accident report later. However, if there is a chance that anyone is injured, there is debris from the accident in the road, and/or the vehicles cannot be moved and are obstructing traffic, you should call the police immediately.