I recently got into a car accident and being in that, having to deal with all the stress that comes from calling family, dealing with the insurance company, and staying in the hospital, not knowing what is going on had me thinking, what would've I done if I had known how to deal with everything instead of going on guesses and what Google says I should do. So from my experience in dealing with a car accident, I will share what steps one should take if they are involved in an automobile accident.

First and foremost, make sure you are physically okay. Can you move your fingers? Does your neck hurt when you move it? Can you feel your toes? If the answer is no to any of these, then do not move until help arrives. If the answer is yes, then the second step is getting out of the car. Before you do that though, if your ID, Insurance, Registration is near you, then grab them and leave. If not, grab what you can, keys included, and get out as fast as you can.

After you get out of the car, if no one has called the cops, call them. If another driver was involved, make sure they're okay and switch information. Wait for the cops. Don't leave the scene until you get a report in. If and when the ambulance arrives, if you don't feel well, go with them. Regardless of how small of an injury you think you sustained, go with them. After you talk with the police and ambulance, call a family member; this can be done in the ambulance.

Once you get to the hospital or your house, if it's early enough, call your insurance company. File a claim and let them know what is going on. Update them regularly. Once you're done filing your claim, find out where the car is, and if your insurance doesn't cover it, get your car out of the pound before it stays there longer than it needs to be.

Finally, and most importantly, rest up. You need the rest, even if it's just for your nerves. Give yourself time to heal before venturing back into the world. Accidents happen but don't give them power over your life. You'll get better and all will be okay, but first, and I cannot repeat this enough, rest up.