Travel

A car accident is never something you’re anticipating. Whether you’re on the way to work, cruising around town with friends, or heading out of town for a business trip or vacation with the family, a wreck is the last thing on your mind. But they happen – and quite frequently at that.

Thousands of people are involved in accidents every year, with injuries ranging from minor scrapes and bruises to fatalities.

“In [the past] six-year span, 196,236 people died in auto accidents,” Aceable explains. “That’s more than the number of people who live in Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah. Imagine a whole city wiped out in six years. That’s crazy.”

Thankfully, most car accidents don’t end in fatalities. And if you do find yourself in the aftermath of a collision – whether minor or serious – it’s important that you know how to respond. In particular, you need to avoid making the following common mistakes:

• Leaving the Scene of an Accident

Never under any circumstance should you leave the scene of a car accident without first consulting with the other parties involved and contacting the police.

“After any car accident causing injury or significant property damage, you are required by law to report the accident to police,” the Gruber Law Offices explain. “If police respond to the scene of a car crash, they will conduct a routine investigation and file a report. However, police may not respond to every crash, which puts reporting responsibility on the individuals involved in the accident.”

• Admitting Fault

It doesn’t matter how clear-cut the accident was; it’s important that you avoid admitting fault to the other driver. And while you have to be honest with the police when filing a report, never give out superfluous details or admit to anything you’re unsure of.

It’s easy for your emotions and adrenaline to affect how you think. By not admitting fault, you’re simple imploring a protective strategy that ensures you have a chance to formulate your case outside of the heat of the moment.

• Not Getting Immediate Medical Attention

After a car crash, many people want to pretend the incident didn’t occur. The last thing they want is for some drawn out, complicated process that’s expensive and time-consuming. This leads to the huge mistake of not getting medical attention.

“Even if you think you are fine, it may be difficult to tell the type of injuries that you have sustained,” Arrowhead Clinic writes. “When the body is in shock, you may not feel the pain until later. It is important to have your injuries diagnosed as soon as possible if you are going to be pursuing an auto injury claim.”

• Accepting a Quick Settlement

If you’re the victim in a car accident, expect your insurance company to contact you with a settlement offer. They’ll use any number of tactics to gently pressure you into settling your case. But taking them up on the first offer is a huge mistake. It may only be worth 10 or 20 percent of the case’s real value.

Don’t ignore the insurance company when they call. Hear them out and take notes. You can use the numbers they provide as a starting point for your negotiations at a later date.

• Not Contacting an Attorney

There’s a statute of limitations on car accident claims in every state. While you shouldn’t be hasty to accept a quick settlement, you also don’t want to make the mistake of waiting too long.

In the days and weeks after your accident, contact a car accident attorney to figure out whether you have a case. They can help you develop a plan and determine how much your case is worth.

Make Smart Choices

It’s difficult to think clearly in the aftermath of a car accident. You have a lot of emotions and sensations charging through your mind and body, which makes it challenging to make even simple decisions. However, you have to force yourself to slow down and be prudent.

Prudence in the face of trial is one of the hardest things to develop, but it’s a character trait that will serve you well in this moment, as well as the years to come.

As soon as you’ve booked your hawaii beach rentals and you’ve paid for your flights it will be time to decide what you’re going to do when you’re on vacation. If you’re a lover of water sports I can almost guarantee that you’ll have a vacation of a lifetime. This is because there are so many different water sporting activities in Hawaii that you may not know where to begin.

So, let’s take a look at some of the most popular watersports activities on offer in Hawaii:

Enjoy a Luxurious Excursion

If you would like to enjoy a luxury snorkelling vacation or a sunset excursion you need to head to Maui where you will find that there are many different types of excursions available. A company named Alii Nui offers some of the island’s finest excursions that include sunset sails, feasts, afternoon snorkels and much more.

You will have to make sure that you book in advance as these excursions tend to be quite busy, particularly during the summer months, but they are worth the wait. For example, the sunset sail excursion lasts for two hours and guests will be treated to a beautiful meal and exceptional service. You will also be met at the dock of your choice and given time to experience the sunset from a whole new perspective. If you are looking to do something particularly special when you’re in Hawaii, you need to book at least one excursion.

Try your Hand at a Spot of Surfing

If you’ve never tried a spot of surfing now is the time. Hawaii is home to some amazing waves which make the area ideal for those who love to surf. The islands are also home to yearly surfing competitions, which just goes to show you how great the waves are. So, why not let your inner surfer out and try your hand at a spot of surfing? You never know you may find you have a hidden talent!

Offering lessons to groups, small parties or individuals, you will be given one-on-one guidance so you know exactly how to balance on a surfboard while the instructors ensure you are kept safe at all times. Learn how to turn in the water and how to read the waves. Pick up a few navigation skills and learn all about your surfboard and where you should and shouldn’t stand. Surfing is a lot of fun so why not give it a try? Even the world’s best surfers needed lessons when they first started out, so what are you waiting for? Book a surfing lesson today and get ready to enjoy yourself.

Enjoy a Spot of Spearfishing

Spearfishing is so much fun and only a few vacation destinations in the world offer you the chance to enjoy this thrilling activity. Just before you head off into the deep blue sea you will be given a speargun, a camouflage wetsuit and a mask so you can free dive. You will also be given a snorkel and a weight belt along with some fins so you can move through the water with ease. You will also be shown how to use every piece of equipment so that you can enjoy a successful session in the water.

One of the great and occasionally unexpected things about spearfishing is that this activity can help to remove those invasive species from the waters. What this means is that you will be helping to contribute towards Hawaii’s sea life and ensuring that the local fish and reef population is as healthy as the locals would like it to be. With spearfishing available in Maui and Kona, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have the chance to dive into the deep blue sea and enjoy this thrilling sport.

Go for a Scuba Dive

You simply cannot visit Hawaii without going for at least one scuba dive. There are many different water sports companies dotted around Hawaii that give you the opportunity to enjoy a lesson or two. If you’ve never scuba dived before do not worry, there are lessons available for beginners and you’ll be looked after by a professional. Operating 7 days a week, you could be taken out to sea on a catamaran by Rainbow Scuba Hawaii, for example, and shown exactly how to scuba dive. You’ll also have the chance to watch fish and other creatures go about their day.

Explore the nearby seabed for yourself, and stumble upon a shipwreck or two while you watch turtles swim here and there. You don’t have to be a scuba diving expert to enjoy a dive, so why not book you and your friends a place on a dive and get ready to have a lot of fun?

Hawaii has so much to offer everyone in terms of glorious weather, stunning beaches and of course, water sports. Why not enjoy a luxurious excursion on a boat and feast on a lovingly prepared meal? Try your hand at a spot of spearfishing and dive deep into the waters to catch a fish or two. Learn how to surf and find out how good you are on a board during your one on one session. Finally, go for a scuba dive and investigate Hawaii’s waters as you watch the turtles and other sea life go about their day. Hawaii offers so much to anyone and everyone, it’s no wonder lovers of water sports flock to the islands every year.