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What to do after a car accident in Saudi Arabia

Car accidents have long been acknowledged as “civilized societies’ epidemic.” Saudi Arabia, which once had the highest rate, successfully recorded a steady decline attributed to the introduction of road safety measures through Vision 2030.

Luckily, most of the accidents today are minor and don’t always end in causalities. We pray that you and your loved ones be always safe. Nevertheless, a car accident in KSA deems a certain set of procedures set for the accidents covered by Najm insurance services.

In the wake of a car accident, there are certain steps to take in order to protect your rights, to abide the law, and to get the insurance claim process started. wakeel will walk you through the entire process:

After a car accident, take these actions:

1. Immediate action: Turn your car’s hazardous lights on, and make sure you and others are unharmed. In case of grievous injuries that need immediate medical attention, call 997.
2. File a report: Alert Najm through their application or 92000056 about the accident and your whereabouts. In the meantime, prepare necessary official documents like registration license, driving license, and an insurance policy all should be valid and unexpired.  
3. Start documenting:  Scan the road before stepping out of your vehicle, and start documenting. Najm will ask you to take pictures of the scene from various angles, damage to all vehicles, the road, or intersections. Additionally, it is good to take pictures of anything that could have influenced the accidents such as relevant road signs or road conditions. 
4. Move your vehicle to the side:  Avoid obstructing the traffic, remaining in the middle road could easily lead to a chain accident. Remember to secure your vehicle to a safe location, but careful not to drive away from the scene or it will be considered a “hit-and-run” case.
5. Wait for Najm: As soon as Najm inspector arrives, he’ll examine the situation and listen to what you have got to say; never indicate you are at fault. The inspector will determine the level of liability for each party and issue a report.
6. Najm digital services: Najm has developed an advanced electronic system to facilitate and shorten the completion of all procedures related to the vehicle insurance service. All procedures will be automatically initiated at the scene of the accident and users will be able to obtain the following documents via SMS:

– Repair permission certified by Muror Department

– Traffic Accident Damage Evualtion by Taqdeer

–  Submit Claim – The system will directly submit accident details, proofs of the incident, and liability reports to insurance entities.

• Claim compensation: the payment of compensation will be effected in a maximum period of fifteen (15) days from the date of completing all the documents required or as per the instructions of SAMA. If a delay occurs you can make a complaint through SamaCares.

Safety tips on the road

• Be a courteous driver, respect the right of way of everyone. When other drivers have the right of way, be sure to yield to them. Also, don’t make the mistake of assuming that everyone else will yield to you when they should.
• Stunt driving and over-speeding are purely reckless and a major cause of car accidents in Saudi Arabia annually.
• Stay actively alert, look ahead for potential hazards and they won’t catch you by surprise. Moreover, be aware of blind spots and red runners, vehicles can appear almost out of nowhere very quickly.
• Do not tailgate, leave a suitable distance between you and the car in front of you to allow you to respond to anything you may encounter.
• Don’t get distracted. Sending text messages is not the only risky distraction that drivers need to refrain from behind the wheel. Changing songs on your phone, making calls, eating, or interacting with passengers are just a few examples of the types of distractions that you should take care to avoid when driving.

A proper insurance policy will work as a safety net for you and your car against misfortune. Learn more about car insurance policies on our blog, and compare car insurance prices in Saudi Arabia.