What should you do if you crash into the vehicle in front of you

[dsbear]

Seems to me that there are a lot of folks living in glass houses here.

[Mekanic]

Originally Posted by PushedAround

...... The best advice that iI was given was by the salesman who sold us our MH. He said simply "don't drive it like a car". He was right.

X2 I agree with you and him.

[tedgard01]

As said, take care of the affected people and call for assistance if anyone is injured. Call the police and get a report filed. Tell the officer what happened without lying or withholding the truth. Then stop worrying about it. Let the insurance carriers resolve the rest. Learn from your mistakes.

Don't let those people fool you when they try to make you feel inferior just because you had an accident. They are just not admitting that mistakes can happen to us all, or they are ignorant enough to think that they could never be involved in an accident.

[UFO Pilot]

Originally Posted by tedgard01

As said, take care of the affected people and call for assistance if anyone is injured. Call the police and get a report filed. Tell the officer what happened without lying or withholding the truth. Then stop worrying about it. Let the insurance carriers resolve the rest. Learn from your mistakes.

Don't let those people fool you when they try to make you feel inferior just because you had an accident. They are just not admitting that mistakes can happen to us all, or they are ignorant enough to think that they could never be involved in an accident.

[sirpurrcival]

Let's be real here. Regardless of how careful any of us here are as drivers, accidents can and do happen. I agree with RickO.
Check yourselves
Check the other vehicle occupants
Call the authorities
Don't admit guilt under any circumstances or try to assign blame (best to avoid confrontations)
Don't pronounce yourself healthy either. Just stay quiet on the matter and see what shows up in the next day or so. Sometimes the full extent of injuries are not known especially when the adrenaline is pumping.

Be sure to give yourself some breathing room. Accidents can be scary and unsettling and you may find yourself reacting physiologically and cognitively. In short, you may not be at your brightest right after an accident (shock). Keep it simple! Just stick to the facts and leave interpretations to the police, insurance companies and the like.

And if you did make a mistake, try to learn from it so it doesn't happen again.

[jerryhawkins]

Cry a lot because the lawyers are coming and they are not cheap!!!! Maybe you should just pay better attention to your speed!!

[coolhand108]

I guess my best advice is slow down drive defensively, pay attention to the road not whats inside the coach. I survived 42 years of big rig driving doing this with no accidents or break downs . I must have done something right wouldn't you agree

[Rick & Hope]

1. Aim High in Steering
Look 15 seconds into your future. (Don’t just look at the vehicle in front of you)

2. Get the Big Picture
Look for Hazards. (Other Motorists, Pedestrians, Vehicle doors opening)

3. Keep Your Eyes Moving
Don’t stare. (Use your peripheral vision)(Stop the fixed habit stare)

4. Leave Yourself an Out
Monitor the space cushion around you and your bike.

5. Make sure They See You
Use your signals- (Turn Signals, 4-Way Flashers, Head Lights, Brake Lights, Horn, Hand Signals) Make Eye Contact.

These are the 5 keys of the Smith System. It is taought by every truck driving school and large fleets.

[rbpower]

make sure everyone is ok . asses the damage to the other vehicle. if damage is not bad offer to pay on the spot. write a letter that states cash in lue of damages get it sighned. if not call law inforcement have them write it up and move on with your life. that is why we have insurance.

[George Schweikle]

This is a proper response to the original question. The OP didn't ask how not to have an accident, he asked what to do if one did.

The only thing I would ad, if it's possible, is to get a witness and their contact information. Even if the impact was to a vehicle in front, there might be extenuating circumstances such as someone dive-bombing into the space in front of you (I guess this illustrates why a dash camera might be good).

Having said that, a separate thread on safe, defensive, driving is certainly appropriate.

Originally Posted by sirpurrcival

Let's be real here. Regardless of how careful any of us here are as drivers, accidents can and do happen. I agree with RickO.
Check yourselves
Check the other vehicle occupants
Call the authorities
Don't admit guilt under any circumstances or try to assign blame (best to avoid confrontations)
Don't pronounce yourself healthy either. Just stay quiet on the matter and see what shows up in the next day or so. Sometimes the full extent of injuries are not known especially when the adrenaline is pumping.

Be sure to give yourself some breathing room. Accidents can be scary and unsettling and you may find yourself reacting physiologically and cognitively. In short, you may not be at your brightest right after an accident (shock). Keep it simple! Just stick to the facts and leave interpretations to the police, insurance companies and the like.

And if you did make a mistake, try to learn from it so it doesn't happen again.

[ohhwell]

Call for law enforcement and get a police report. The good 'ole days of personal responsibility and integrity just aren't valid much anymore.

[spritz]

It has only happened once and that was bad enough that I had to hit the binders because someone pulled in front of me in a traffic jam, I don't know why he was in front of me for several miles after. I need a new horn now. I bought a Dash Cam and it was more than 100 bucks.
I have several 100,000 miles driving accident free and want to keep it that way. Have all your papers for the ready so you can grab them to show the officer.
Remember that your at fault for a rear end collision, because your not in control of your vehicle.
JMO,tb

[virginiamtns]

Originally Posted by Rick & Hope

1. Aim High in Steering
Look 15 seconds into your future. (Don’t just look at the vehicle in front of you)

2. Get the Big Picture
Look for Hazards. (Other Motorists, Pedestrians, Vehicle doors opening)

3. Keep Your Eyes Moving
Don’t stare. (Use your peripheral vision)(Stop the fixed habit stare)

4. Leave Yourself an Out
Monitor the space cushion around you and your bike.

5. Make sure They See You
Use your signals- (Turn Signals, 4-Way Flashers, Head Lights, Brake Lights, Horn, Hand Signals) Make Eye Contact.

These are the 5 keys of the Smith System. It is taought by every truck driving school and large fleets.

I'd like to add 6. Don't drive tired. You have a bed. Pull over and take a nap or make some coffee. Reflexes and judgment aren't at their best when you're tired or sleep deprived.

After the accident, pull out of traffic lanes and put out hazard reflectors. Assess all for injuries while someone is calling 911. Gather your wits and your papers, and be prepared to explain the situation to the police.

[homeless]

Originally Posted by macandphyl

You should sell your coach if you can not pay attention and
concentrate on the main job of driving safely.

YAH What he said!