Ten simple tips to ease the stress of being in a car accident

Being in a car accident is a traumatic experience, but it can be made worse if there is a dispute as to who was at fault, if the other driver is from overseas or if anyone is injured.

Leading car insurance expert, Admiral has devised a list of ten tips for motorists to help make their claim from an accident as hassle free as possible.

Admiral compiled the list after looking at the main problems motorists encounter when they are involved in a car accident. It is advising all motorists to be prepared and follow these simple tips if they are unlucky enough to be in an accident:

Remain calm, polite and helpful even if the other driver is agitated or upset. Don't discuss who was responsible for the accident, this is up to your insurance companies.

If it's safe to do so, use your camera phone to take photographs of the damage to both cars and the general location of the accident. If you don't have a camera phone, carry a disposable camera in your car.

Get the full name and address of the other driver and try to get two or three telephone numbers. Remember to ask them the name of their car insurance company. Pass all this information to your insurer as soon as possible after the accident.

Carry copies of your vehicle documents and insurance details in your car, but never the originals in case your car is stolen.

Discretely check if the other driver's tax disk is out of date. If it is, phone the police. An out of date tax disk could mean an uninsured driver.

If the other driver is a foreign national, as well as taking their name, address, phone number and car insurance details, confirm their country of origin and if possible get an address of where they are staying in the UK.

Carry a pen and some paper in your glove box, note down the make, model and colour of the car as well as the registration number. Jot down anything else unusual you notice about the car.

Take the name and contact details of any independent witnesses of the accident and pass these on to your insurance company. They could be invaluable if the third party denies liability.

If your car is undrivable after the accident, let your insurance company know and remove any personal effects from the car before you leave it unattended.

If you or anyone involved in the accident is injured, seek medical attention and let your insurance company know about the injuries as soon as possible.

Admiral Claims director, Stuart Morgan, said: "Being in a car accident, no matter how minor is very stressful and it's easy to panic. By following these tips you should be able to make the incident less traumatic for yourself and make your subsequent claim run more smoothly."