After an accident, a lot of attention is paid to the drivers of each vehicle. It’s important to determine who caused the accident, drivers can be injured, and it’s their insurance that is going to be involved. However, that doesn’t mean that being a passenger in an accident isn’t scary too!
If you were riding in the car when the driver got into an accident, you deserve to focus on your health and wellness so you can move past the accident as well. Here are steps you can take to get back to your normal life as fast as possible after getting into an accident in someone else’s car.
Consider Contacting an Attorney
It isn’t uncommon for drivers to contact an attorney after an accident when it was the fault of the other driver that the accident happened in the first place. You may be tempted to leave all the lawyer stuff to the other drivers, but you may want to consider contacting an attorney yourself.
According to Stewart J. Guss, a prominent personal injury attorney, “If you were at all injured in the accident, you need to properly document the accident. Your own personal recovery will depend on this evidence.”
An attorney can help you do just that. Even if they don’t think you can recover funds in your case, at least you’ll know after speaking with an attorney.
Schedule an Appointment With a Doctor
It’s important to seek immediate medical care if you are seriously injured in a car accident, but just because you can get out of the car and walk away doesn’t mean you’re just fine. It’s still a good idea to make an appointment with a doctor after your accident.
Speaking with a doctor after an accident about any symptoms you’re experiencing, no matter how minor, can help uncover more serious problems. It isn’t uncommon for passengers to suffer from neck and back injuries, as well as internal injuries that may not be obvious immediately after the accident. A doctor can help uncover potential issues before they turn into huge problems.
Talk About the Accident With the Driver
It’s important to focus on your own health and wellbeing in the days after the accident, but it’s important to acknowledge the fact that the person you were riding with is doing the same. You can provide each other with support if you’re willing to get over your nerves and speak to each other about what happened.
If you’re nervous, consider texting or emailing them about the accident first. If you’re relatively close, you can give them a call or ask them to meet up somewhere. If you anticipate a confrontation, or if you have something unpleasant you have to get off of your chest, you may want to make sure you invite a neutral third party.
Although you should talk to the driver of the vehicle, don’t think you have to do it right away. Talking weeks or even months after the accident is better than never talking at all.
Find Someone Supportive to Talk To
Talking with the driver about your shared experience can help you get over an accident, but you should have other supportive people in your corner who are willing to listen to your experience and how you feel on a daily basis.
Friends and family members can provide you with great support, but you should also consider seeing a therapist, at least for a while. Using techniques like psychotherapy, they can help you reframe how you think about your accident, they can help you find ways to forgive and move on, and they can help you overcome your fears of getting back into a car again.
Revisit the Scene of the Accident
It’s normal to feel at least a little traumatized after an accident, especially if it was a particularly bad crash. You will probably want to go out of your way to avoid the scene of the accident, but it’s extremely important to revisit the scene to work through your feelings.
Revisiting the scene of the accident ensures you won’t avoid the area, which can be especially important if it’s part of your normal route to work or a main artery through the city where you live.
It’s also extremely important to your mental health. It is an important step towards spending less time ruminating about the accident, and it can build confidence so you’re willing to get back into another car with another driver in the future.
It’s Okay if You Want to Drive on Your Own for a While
Not ready to get into a car with another person? That’s okay! It’s normal not to trust another driver after an accident. That includes the driver that was in the car during the accident, but it also includes other drivers as well.
It’s perfectly fine if you want to drive your own vehicle for a while after an accident. By driving your own vehicle, you can work on becoming a better driver, which can help you rebuild your confidence so you’re eventually willing to get back into a car with another person.
Focus on Self-Care
If you’re feeling down after an accident, it’s normal to stop taking care of yourself the way you should. However, it’s an important way to get past your experience with your health and wellness intact.
A few tips for self-care after an accident include:
- Make sure you get plenty of sleep
- Add fruits and vegetables to your diet
- Move your body at least a little every day
- Spend time outdoors
- Work on a passion project or hobby
The driver of the car that has been in an accident has a long road to recovery ahead of them to feel like their old self from before the accident, but passengers have their own road to take in order to recover. With the tips on this list, you can get well as fast as possible.