Sometimes, for no fault of yours, you might be involved in a car accident in Dubai. Here are some tips to make the aftermath of an accident as stress-free as possible
Some statistics claim that in Dubai about 10 accidents happen every day. In a city of this size, these are big numbers and this is not surprising as there are reckless drivers everywhere. From the legal aspect, it is always better to know your rights and duties so that you can take the right steps in case of an accident.
Here is what you need to do if you are involved in a crash:
Collision with another vehicle
- Move the car to a safe spot on the road and turn on your hazard lights. Make sure everyone in the car is fine. Immediately call 999 and inform them about the crash and ask for an ambulance if anyone has been injured. Dubai police force is prompt and in case you are stranded in a crowded road, they will get the injured person out via a chopper.
- If the person who hit you speeds off, try to take down the license plate number down and hand it over to the police when they arrive. Also, do not involve in arguments with anyone.
- You can take photographs of your car as this might help you claim insurance. Do not take photographs of any other cars involved in the accident as taking pictures without permission is an offence.
- Once the police arrive, they will take note of the situation and ask questions. Do not rush them or pester them. If all the drivers involved agree on who was at fault, you will be asked to go to the nearest police station to fill out the necessary forms. Always, I repeat, always keep your driving license, car registration card and passport ready.
- If you cannot reach a consensus as to who is responsible for the accident, the police will sort things out and if you are innocent you will receive a green copy of the report, while if you were at fault you will receive a pink one. A white report is issued if neither party is responsible or it is not clear who is at fault.
- If the person who is responsible was driving under influence or there is a loss of life, he/she would be arrested immediately.
- After the report has been filed by the police, inform your insurance company and in case it is a rented car, the rental company. They will provide you with information as to what to do next.
- If there are on cosmetic damages to your car, it might be safe to drive away. But check with the police officer before doing so.
Any object other than a vehicle
- In case you accidentally rammed into a concrete wall or a lampost or any such inanimate objects, the procedure is the same.
- Inform 999 immediately after moving the car to a safe spot. The police will arrive and give you a report, which will help you get the car and other damages fixed. Remember, without the police report, no company will take up the repair work.
When your car is parked
- If you had parked your car somewhere safe and returned to find it damaged, there is very little you can do.
- The first thing, as you would have guessed already, is to call 999 and report the incident.
Check nearby buildings for CCTVs. Most mall parking spaces and some residential buildings would also have cameras. Request the people concerned for a copy of the footage and try to identify the vehicles number in order to track down the culprits.