Undoubtedly no one wants to get into a car accident, but as evident by our current influx in car accident injury victims, I would imagine they are a more frequent occurrence when the thermometer drops and the roads get icy. Following are a few pointers to help you adequately prepare for a car accident.
GET MED-PAY
The number one thing I would recommend to every single reader, is to make sure that your auto policy has med-pay. I seriously cannot stress this enough! In Colorado, regardless of who is at fault, your auto policy will pay for any medical treatment that may result. Let me say that again…. Even if you are not at fault, your auto insurance will still be responsible for any medical bills. No, it’s not necessarily fair, but it is the law. In the unfortunate event that your policy does not have med-pay and you are not at fault, you will need to obtain an attorney to get your medical bills paid. If you are at-fault in this situation, you will have no medical coverage. Med-pay is only a few dollars to add to your policy, and if in an accident, it will save you much stress and anxiety. Believe me, it is hard to tell a patient who just got rear-ended that they will require the assistance of an attorney if they want to have their medical bills paid. So, call your insurance company today and double check that you have med-pay. The minimum in Colorado is $5,000. If you have to go the Emergency Room, this is immediately used up. I would recommend a minimum of $10,000- this will add just a few dollars to your annual policy.
CHECK YOUR HEADRESTS
The placement of your headrests can dramatically change the severity of your injuries. Think about this- if your headrest is very low, your head will accelerate backwards over the headrest increasing the damage to your spine. The optimum placement for a headrest is even with the back of your head.
DONT BRACE FOR IMPACT
If you see the accident coming, avoid tensing up and bracing for the impact. Have you heard the story of the drunk driver who walks away from the accident unscathed? The more you tense for impact, the greater the damage on your ligaments and spine. While it is very difficult to “relax” when you know you are about to get hit, if you see an accident you can’t avoid I would suggest picking a fixed object in the distance and focus on it. This will cause your muscles to slightly relax.
SEEK MEDICAL HELP
Regardless of how you feel directly following the accident, always seek medical help. After an impact our bodies secrete adrenaline, which causes us to not feel the effects of the accident. It is very common for victims to feel severe pain weeks after an accident, when they felt fine directly following it. If you feel you require an ambulance, do not hesitate to take one. If you feel you should go to the Emergency Room, do so. Studies show that patients who seek chiropractic care within one week of an accident have a 90% full recovery rate, for those that do not, the recovery rate sits in the upper 30’s. Obviously, call the office for a consultation and treatment.
Lastly, RELAX! It is unlikely you will ever be in an accident, let alone a severe one. Spending your driving time stressing about the probability of a car accident will raise your blood pressure, and your anxiety. Enjoy the drive!