One of the worst things that could happen while you’re on vacation is a car accident. Unfortunately, it isn’t outside the realm of possibility. If you’re driving a vehicle, whether it’s your own or a rented car, there’s always the chance that you could find yourself in a crash.
Going home is always an option, but you shouldn’t automatically head home just because you crashed the car! There are ways you can salvage your vacation even if you experienced a car accident.
Deal With the Accident to the Best Of Your Ability
Although you may be tempted to drive away and act like the accident never happened, it’s never a good idea to leave the scene of an accident. Even if means missing dinner or skipping your day at the beach, it’s important to deal with the accident to the best of your ability as soon as it happens.
That means knowing what to do when it comes to determining fault for the accident, calling police, getting statements from witnesses, and calling your insurance. If you rented the car, you have to call the car rental company right away too.
Try and get the stuff you have to do out of the way as fast as you can. Don’t put off calling your insurance, getting checked out by a doctor, or contacting the rental car company until the next day or the day after. It will just be a dark cloud hanging over your head when you should be trying to have fun.
Leave What You Can Until You Get Home
There are some things you need to attend to right away when you get into a car accident. That doesn’t mean you have to do everything. Some things can wait until you get back home.
For example, dealing with car repairs can be a nightmare, especially if you’re worried about how much it’s going to cost. You may have to get a repair in order to drive home, but if you can wait until you get home before you fix your car, try not to worry about it until you take it in.
Have family members who will need to know about the accident? As long as you’re fine, save it until you get home. Are you going to have to buy a new car? Avoid starting your search until you get home.
Rethink Transportation
If the accident was bad enough, you may not be able to continue driving your car. If you rented the car, you may be provided with a replacement, but don’t feel bad if you no longer feel comfortable behind the wheel while you’re away from home. There are plenty of ways to get around without a car.
If you are on a long road trip, consider catching a flight home. Try riding the bus or taking a cab to get around at your destination, or consider walking or riding a bike. There are many other ways to get around that won’t make you feel anxious because you’re driving immediately after an accident.
Find Something to Do to Get Your Mind off the Accident
It’s normal to feel down after an accident. Just don’t spend too much time moping in your hotel room. Get your mind off of what happened by finding something adventurous to do.
What you can do will depend on where you are, but a few ideas include:
- Ziplining
- Rafting
- Caving
- ATV driving
- Kayaking
- Hiking
If adventurous activities aren’t really your thing, there are other things you can do! Go shopping, check out a popular restaurant, or catch a show to get your mind off of the accident.
Do More of What Makes You Happy
Do you have a bunch of stuff planned on your vacation that you’re now anxious about because of your accident? Vacations are for relaxing and having fun. If you focus on doing things that make you happy, stress relief will follow.
Not a museum person? Skip the museum and spend the day lounging by the pool. Would you rather have a picnic on the beach than get dressed up for that five-star restaurant? Do it! Think about what would make you happy and be willing to modify your vacation so you do more of those things.
You can always head home after an accident, but you don’t have to. If you are thoughtful about how you spend the remainder of your vacation, you can still enjoy yourself while dealing with the aftermath of a car crash.
