Car accidents can be brutal, and that’s a strong understatement too. If you’ve ever been through one, then you know how terrifying they can be. Everything happens too fast, but yet, it happens so slowly too. Even after the accident happened itself it can be terrifying getting out of the car. No matter how big or small your car accident was, your feelings are valid for being afraid. Chances are, you may have questioned what to do after an accident.  

There’s just a lot to keep in mind such as your injuries, passengers injuries, the other driver’s injuries, the physical damage like the car, and whether or not other things have happened. You can be the most cautious driver in the world, but you can’t control how others drive. With that said, car accidents have been known for causing PTSD, especially major crashes.  But it’s important to eventually get back behind the wheel and here’s how.

TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE

Talking about it can do a lot, whether this is talking to a loved one or maybe even a healthcare professional. Talking is an outlet, it lets the tension that built up get out, feel released.  You may even want to go as far as writing down the experiences you dealt with. Maybe even have a timeline of events of everything that has happened. It’s completely valid seeing this as a traumatic experience.

TRY TO LEARN THE BASICS

Maybe it wasn’t your fault that the accident happened. You can be the best driver around but you’ll still be unsafe if there are bad drivers all over the place. While you can’t combat that, relearning the basics will help you get back into control. There are classes available that will help you know exactly how you’ll need to respond in a variety of scenarios that drivers could potentially get themselves into.

TALK WITH A LAWYER

Sometimes (but not always) having a legal discussion with a car accident attorney can be helpful. Was the other driver completely out of line? Is your insurance company giving you a hard time? Sometimes, it’s not even the crash itself but the things surrounding the car accident that makes it too scary to get back behind the wheel.

START SLOW

It’s important to know that you will need to eventually get back behind the wheel. So why not start slow? This can include just driving around the block. Don’t feel ashamed for taking it slow, sometimes going one step at a time is more than enough.

HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOU IN THE CAR

If you know someone who’s a good driver, let them help you out. This can include being in the car while they’re driving, or even letting them be the passenger while you drive. They’ll have quick reaction time and can help in the off chance that anything goes wrong.

DON’T FEEL ASHAMED

Overall, you shouldn’t feel ashamed of this. Car accidents, no matter the scale, can be very traumatic. You shouldn’t expect yourself to just instantly feel better. Be open about your feelings and just know you’ll get past this obstacle. 

Photo Credit: Toyota