According the National Security Council, 1 in every 8 drivers will be involved in an automobile accident this year in the United States. That sounds pretty bad, but even our local Rexburg statistics aren’t much better.
According to the records at the Rexburg Police Department, we had a fair share of accidents in 2008. There were approximately 426 car wrecks in the city of Rexburg. There were 107 accidents that occurred on BYU-Idaho's campus, bringing the total up to 533 collisions that year. That’s about 45 accidents per month! Not exactly the best numbers. Approximately 12 pedestrians were also hit last year, resulting in one unfortunate fatality. With these odds, it would be wise to take extra caution and remember to slow down.
What do you do if you get in an accident?
So what do you do if you are one of those unlucky individuals who ends up with your very own accident? Your first step should be to make sure you are not positioned in a dangerous place, like the middle of the road in a snow storm. In some states it is illegal to move your car from the scene of an accident. According to the Rexburg Police Department however, it is not against the law to move your vehicle to a safer location after an accident. It is preferable, however, to leave your cars as they were when the accident happened, if possible. This is to make the measurements and claims more accurate and easier to handle when the police arrive. Accurate information is especially important when you are not at fault in the accident.
Next, you should make sure to turn your car off. Conduct a first aid check on all those involved. Then you should call the police to report the accident, and verify if an emergency response team is needed or not. The number of the Rexburg Police Dispatch is: (208) 359-3008, or you can simply call 911.
While the police are on their way, you should begin gathering the name and information of the other driver, all of the other people involved in the accident, and the witnesses who saw the accident happen.
A copy of this accident report form provided by Certified First Network should be kept in your car. It contains a list of the other information needed from yourself and the other driver. The most important piece of information to gather is the driver’s license number of the other driver. You can use the back of this form to draw a diagram or attach pictures of the accident. Be sure to note the present date, time, and weather conditions.
You need to exchange insurance information with the other person involved. NOTE – do not discuss matters of who was at fault or make any other statements to anyone but the police. Also make sure you obtain a copy of the police report from the local Rexburg precinct.
What do you do if you get stuck?
Getting stuck in the snow isn’t as bad as being in an accident, but it does bring a fair share of frustration with it. When you are stuck in snow, the most common reaction is the worst one: people have a tendency to push hard on the accelerator, hoping they will get out. This will likely only get you more stuck. The most important thing you can do to avoid this nasty ordeal is to be prepared.
You can place specific things in front of the tires that will give them the traction they need to get out. Have kitty litter in your trunk as it will provide necessary traction in the event of getting stuck. Spare pieces of carpet are also handy in getting you out of a tight spot. If you are desperate you should use your own car mats. If none of these are available you can use branches from nearby trees as a substitute.
If your car is front-wheel drive, put your traction aid in front of the front tires. If you have rear wheel drive, put traction in front of the rear wheels. For a car with four-wheel drive, put traction aids in front of the front tires first and then in front of the back tires if you have enough.
Next, turn your wheels from side to side to push snow out of the way. With the wheels pointing forward press the accelerator lightly to get out. If this does not work have someone assist you in rocking your car from front to back.
Should all this fail, you will want the number of a good and cheap tow truck driver in your cell phone. Here is a list of local towing companies and what they charge for their services:
Rexburg Auto Repair – (Best Bet)
(208) 356-3076
114 Webster Ave
$50 hook up fee, and $2.50 per mile
Rexburg Towing and Impound
(208) 656-0270
410 W 1ST N
$165 an hour, but if only 15 minutes of time is required they may knock the price down.
Christensen Body Shop
(208) 356-9018
210 W 4TH S
$85 for coming out, and $50 an hour after that.
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