car accident in UAE
Car accidents happen, and should you ever be unfortunate enough to be involved in one, the information contained in this article could prove to be very useful.
What must you do if you are involved in an accident?
If you are involved in an accident, you must first “tie the area down”:
Step 1 – All cars involved must stop immediately in a safe area.
Step 2 – Switch on your hazard lights and have all passengers get out.
Step 3 – Ensure all the passengers are unhurt. Should anyone be seriously injured, immediately call 999 to report the accident and ask for ambulatory assistance. Either way, call 999 and report the accident.
Step 4 – In the case that there are no serious injuries and the damages are minor, you move your car to the side of the road and ensure that you are not obstructing oncoming traffic and wait for assistance to arrive (i.e. the police and ambulance if one is required)
*In cases where another driver involved in an accident speeds away from the scene of the incident, try and take down their number plate and give this to the police when they arrive. Either way, be aware that this is illegal and can have serious ramifications.
The following is a guide to reporting an accident to the police:
Step 1 – Call 999.
Step 2 – Explain the situation to the operator and ask for police assistance (don’t forget to ask for an ambulance if there are any serious injuries).
Step 3 – Use your phone or a camera to take photos of any damage done to your vehicle.
Step 4 – If you have rented your car, be sure to call the rental services to inform them of the incident.
What to do once you have reported the accident:
- Remain calm. Do not engage in any arguments with the other driver(s) or the police when they arrive.
- Wait for the police to arrive. Once they are on the scene, they will assess the incident and appoint blame appropriately, after which they will issue you with a police report. The reports come in three colours namely; pink, for the driver who is at fault; green, for the victim; and white, where fault cannot be appointed.
- Follow instructions given by the police.
Essential documents
It is important that you carry certain documents with you at all times in the U.A.E. These will be useful in any emergency situations you may face.
If you are a resident ensure you have:
- Your Emirates I.D.
- Your U.A.E. driver’s licence.
- You vehicle registration card.
- Medical Insurance card.
If you are a tourist, you should carry:
- Your passport.
- A valid driver’s license.
- Medical insurance document
Insurance and repairs
- After you are issued with a police report, you should contact your insurance company.
- If your car is a rental, you should contact the rental company.
- Your insurance provider will tell you what to do next but, in most cases, they will arrange for the car to be picked up, unless it can be driven away and you can and choose, to bring it into the workshop for repair.
*Get the go ahead from the police before moving your car from the scene of the accident.
*The insurance companies normally deal with claims.
Tips for when driving in the U.A.E.
- DO NOT EVER drink and drive (there is a zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol).
- KEEP CALM and do not engage in ANY
- DO NOT question the police. Allow them to do their job and ALWAYS LISTEN to their instructions carefully.
Other possible scenarios
If your car is damaged when parked and you do not witness the incident, you can call the police or go to the nearest police station to file a report.
For a total of Dhs.50, you can obtain a ‘damage report’ which you can then submit to your insurers for further action.
This is a post written by carinsurance.ae