Car accidents are no fun. Even a typical fender bender can be traumatic under the right circumstances. The key is to not  panic. Instead, keep a cool head and follow all those procedures they taught you in driver’s ed. Should you ever be involved in a fender bender, here are three things to know:

1. Never Accept Blame

Insurance laws are such that it’s never a good idea to accept blame in the minutes immediately following an accident. It’s best to simply wait on the police, describe to the officer what happened, and let him or her write a report. The insurance companies will rely on that report to determine fault.

If you do accept the blame on-scene, you’ve just guaranteed that your insurance will be responsible for covering the crash – even if the other driver is partly responsible.

2. Appearances Are Deceiving

The second thing you need to know is that appearances are often deceiving. What appears like minor damage to your car could actually be quite serious. This is especially true in a day and age in which we are putting more plastic and composites into car bodies. In short, never assume that a damaged car is safe to drive until after you’ve had it inspected by a mechanic.

3. Insurance Companies Will Fight

Finally, be prepared for your insurance company to fight any claim you make. It’s their job. Don’t take it personally or you can drive yourself crazy. Expect them to fight you – and be willing to fight back. Eventually you’ll work out a settlement that makes you both happy.

Fender Benders are no fun, but they aren’t the end of the world. Should you be unfortunate enough to be involved in one, relax, take a deep breath, and contact Ron.