Tips for dealing with crashes on country roads

Country roads are responsible for nearly 60% of road accident fatalities in the UK. Often, the reasons for the high incidence of fatalities is down to the nature of country roads, which can have many blind bends and sharp corners. Another major contributing factor is speed. Sadly, speed combined with blind spots and sharp bends can potentially lead to disaster. The way you deal with a crash on a country road is not that different to the way you would deal with any other type of road accident. However, there are things that you need to be aware of when dealing with crashes specifically on country roads.

If you are in an accident or if you are assisting another motorist in an accident, here are some handy tips on how to handle a country road crash effectively and efficiently:

• The most important factor in any accident is to check (if you are able) if anyone is injured. If the injury is minor, you may need to undertake some basic first aid. However, if the injuries appear more serious, you should not move the injured party. Call for immediate assistance.
• Country roads are full of invisible bends and blind spots so it is crucial to alert other drivers to the fact you or someone else is involved in an accident. Put the hazard lights on the car and if occupants can be safely moved, move to a safe area.
• If you are involved in an accident with another party, ensure you swap numbers for insurance purposes and make a note of the licence plate. If you both have your insurance details to hand, you can swap details which may help to speed up the process in the event of a claim.
• If you have a mobile phone or camera, it can be very useful to take photos of the scene. This can be useful for insurance purposes and any dispute resolution.
• If your car is damaged, do not attempt to drive away. Your car may not be safe and will potentially put other road users at risk.

There are other ways that can help you to keep safe when driving on country roads. These include staying within the speed limit, particularly as speed is a major contributing factor to accidents on country roads, which means reducing speed at blind spots and being aware of sharp bends to help to minimise the risk of accidents. It is also important to be aware of cyclists on country roads. Roundabouts can be another major accident hotspot. Being mindful of other road users and keeping observant in accident hotspot areas can reduce any accident risk.

The way you handle a crash on a country road should be no different to the approach you would use on a normal road. However, as country roads are usually far more remote, you will need to exercise a bit of common sense in order to deal with any car crash effectively and provide as much warning to other drivers as you can that an incident has taken place.

One Call Accident Management are experts in dealing with car accident claims, we can assist in dealing with a car accident from recovering you vehicle to a safe place, ranging the repairs and providing you with a replacement vehicle if you were involved in an accident. Our expert advisors are available 24/7 to help you get back on the road if the unfortunate happens give us a call on 0800 999 4042.