Even with the most careful of driving, sometimes the unexpected does occur. Provided you’re not badly injured, these are necessary steps you must take as a driver in Malaysia right after you’ve been involved in a road accident.
1. Physical safety
Control your emotions and stay calm. This is the time to be as cool-headed as possible so as to be able to make quick and logical decisions easily when necessary.
Here are some physical safety aspects to consider.
• Vehicle hazard warning: Immediately turn on your hazard lights. This is important so that vehicles behind you are aware that your vehicle is now a road hazard they must avoid. This simple step will help save you from further collisions.
• Human condition: Check that you and your passengers are not badly injured. When possible, quickly check that the other vehicles’ occupants are also not badly injured. Immediately get help if needed.
• Physical surroundings: Move all vehicles involved in the accident to the side of the road. Staying put in the middle of traffic puts you at further risk of being hit by other vehicles.
Once moved, get the passengers out and away from the vehicle. If there is a guard rail by the side of the road, ask all passengers to stand behind the guard rail.
This ensures they are safe from the unexpected e.g. sudden vehicle fire or any further collisions.
2. Capturing details
These details will be beneficial supplements to your insurance claim report and your police report.
In this day and age, it is convenient to whip out your phone and start taking pictures. However, it is also good practice to keep pen and paper handy.
Details to exchange with the other driver
• Vehicle number plate
• Driver’s NRIC (name, IC number, address)
• Driver’s driving license
• Contact number
Details to exchange with any witnesses
• NRIC (name, IC number, address)
• Contact number
Details to capture at the scene – take pictures or even record videos
• Visible damage to vehicle (yours and other party’s) – entire vehicle.
• Visible damage to vehicle (yours and other party’s) – close up.
• Physical marks on surroundings e.g. skid marks, damaged lamp post, potholes.
• Location e.g. road names, landmarks.
• If you have a dashboard camera, save the video footage.
• Time the accident occurred.
3. Contacting your insurance agent or company
• By law, all vehicles on the road in Malaysia must have insurance coverage. Give your insurance agent or company hotline a call and explain the situation.
• A good agent would be able to give valuable advice and information on your next step.
• Check with your insurance agent or company whether there are additional details to capture, whether it is best to bear the cost of repairs/compensation yourself, the going rate for similar repairs, and the next steps to take.
• Remember, the final decision is still yours. If your car is more than five years old, you may need to bear part of the repair charges if new parts are used to replace (betterment).
Depending on your type of coverage, you will be covered differently
• Third party coverage: Only liabilities to third party for injury, death, property loss/damage.
• Third party, fire and theft coverage: Includes loss/damage to own vehicle due to accidental fire/theft.
• Comprehensive coverage: Includes above and loss/damage to own vehicle due to accident.
Do note that your standard motor insurance policy does NOT cover liability for your own/passenger’s death/injury.
If you are not at fault, you can also claim for Compensation for Assessed Repair Time (CART) as compensation for loss of use of vehicle.
If your vehicle is no longer road-worthy, do ask about the proper procedures the insurance company provides to get your vehicle to their panel workshop.
If you are not happy and would like to lodge a complaint, you can reach the complaints unit for the insurance company concerned and if not satisfied seek redress from Bank Negara Malaysia’s Customer Service Bureau or Financial Mediator Bureau insurance mediator.
4. Lodging a police report
It is important that all involved parties lodge their own police reports within 24 hours of being involved in a road accident, regardless of whether you intend to claim insurance or foot the bill yourself.
Lodging a police report is simple. The most complicated part of the process is identifying the correct police station to go to, due to division of jurisdiction.
The simplest way is to head to any police station and ask the friendly police officer on duty to direct you to the appropriate “cawangan trafik” police station based on where your accident occurred.
If possible, drive the vehicle involved in the accident to the police station. To supplement your report, official photographs of vehicle damage may be taken.
After lodging the report over the counter, you will likely need to meet with an inspector (or similar) who will go over the report with you. This is commonly held in an interview room.
This professional listens to your story and you can even re-enact the situation using toy cars. This inspector may even advise which useful details you need to add to your report that you might not have realised were necessary.
There is a small administrative fee to pay to print the report. If the report is lodged late, there is an additional fine to pay. Forward a copy of the report to your insurance agent/company.
When the police conclude their investigations, the person/s at fault will be fined.
This article first appeared in https://mypf.my
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