What Happens if a New Driver Has an Accident?

Posted on January 29, 2024 By legalchiefs

What Happens if You Get in a Car Accident with a Permit?

 

What Happens if a New Driver Has an Accident

Determining fault can be very challenging for crashes involving individuals with a learner’s permit. Depending on the particular accident circumstances, the instructor, parent, or whoever accompanies the learner may be at fault or share part of the responsibility for the accident. Of course, it is also possible for the other driver to be at fault. Whatever the case, learners need to obtain plenty of information on what to do if they have experienced a traffic accident with a learner’s permit. Read below if you are interested in knowing what steps to take to handle a potential car crash.

But first – let us take a look at some data. Learner’s permit laws vary from state to state. Still, whatever the state they are in, student drivers who own only a learner’s permit must be accompanied by an adult while driving. Having a more experienced driver accompany you may help you handle challenging situations on the road sometimes, but that is not always the case. According to 2019 statistics, for example, as many as 2,400 teens aged 13-19 were killed in car accidents, while another 258,000 required treatment in emergency departments after a car crash.

 

Crashed My Car With a Learner’s Permit! What Steps Should I Take Next?

Teen car crashes happen regularly. While there is no way to guarantee that a teenage driver will not suffer an accident before obtaining their driver’s license, it always pays to familiarize oneself with the necessary steps you need to take to handle the situation. Here are some of the most fundamental objectives:

Ensure everyone in your vehicle is okay and then check on the other driver if possible.

Exchange insurance information with the other driver (or drivers) and make sure you contact the police. Keep in mind that you will probably have to provide a statement describing the situation and take photos of the sustained damage.

Another crucial step you need to take is contacting the insurance company, even in cases where you drive your family’s car or a vehicle owned by your school.

At Legal Chiefs, we always advise customers to seek a lawyer’s assistance whenever they encounter a traffic accident, and we are confident that we can help connect you with the most suitable professional.

 

 

Auto Accident FAQ

Your first and foremost action following an accident is to stay calm, check if you or anyone else involved has been injured, and call the police. Get the name and contact information of all parties involved in the accident as well as any witnesses of the event. To document the damage, take pictures of the accident scene, the vehicles, and your injuries. It’s important not to admit liability until you hire an attorney because they will conduct a thorough investigation to establish the driver at fault.
Right after a car accident, you may feel fine, but injuries can surface days, weeks, and even months later. That’s why it’s good to see a doctor even if you don’t believe you were injured in the accident. Your doctor can recognize issues or injuries that won’t immediately become apparent to you and alert you to warning signs of injuries that may arise due to the accident. If you fail to treat your injuries within a certain period of time, you may forfeit your right to get reimbursement for future medical costs. The general rule is not to settle auto accident claims without having been examined by a medical professional.
In most cases, you won’t have to go to court. The majority of auto accident claims are resolved outside of court after negotiating the terms with the insurer. Most insurance companies generally try to settle claims as quickly as possible and for as little money as possible, so it’s wise to have an attorney negotiate on your behalf.
In addition to taking pictures of the accident scene and taking the contact information of the involved parties and witnesses, your detailed explanation of how the accident happened is also necessary to file a claim. Law enforcement reports of the accident will also serve as crucial evidence in your claim.
Many factors determine the driver at fault in an auto accident case. Do not accept any part of the blame until the investigation has concluded. Even if the investigation finds that you are partially at fault, you may still be entitled to receive compensation. There are cases when the victim also shares part of the blame for an accident. If, for example, you were driving five to ten mph over the speed limit when the accident happened, this would have limited your reaction time, and you could likely be considered a negligent driver even if you weren’t the one to cause the crash. Different states have different ways of settling auto accident claims where more than one driver is at fault. So it’s best to check the specific laws in your state (or the state where the accident took place) or discuss the matter with your auto accident injury lawyer.
It happens surprisingly often that people get into an auto accident where the driver at fault doesn’t have insurance. In these situations, it’s wise to have an auto insurance policy that comes with Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage. That way, if you get into an accident and the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance, you will still be able to file your claim under the UM coverage you have with your own insurance company. Your insurer will then process the claim following the same process as it would for an opposing insurer. The only difference is that the claim will be against your UM coverage and not against another driver. Likewise, if you were involved in a hit-and-run accident where the responsible driver fled the scene before you could take their information, you can again seek compensation from your UM coverage.
Suppose you suffered injuries after an auto accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence. In that case, there are two main types of damages that you may seek compensation for: compensatory (a.k.a. monetary) and punitive damages. Compensatory damages are the most common type of damages in a personal injury claim, and they often include: ● Current and future medical bills ● Property damage ● Emotional duress ● Lost wages ● Loss of enjoyment of life ● Loss of future earnings potential On the other hand, punitive damages are much rarer, but they can occur in situations where the vehicle manufacturer is to blame.