The Steps You Should Take If A Vehicle Hits Your Home

While it is far from the most common type of New Haven auto accident, a car hitting a home or business does happen from time to time. These types of accidents can be quite severe and can put the occupants of the home or business at great risk of injury and even death. Even though this type of accident is not particularly common, it is still something you should be aware of that can happen and be ready for it if it does happen. Preparation is the key to safety in this case.

A family in nearby Milford found this out the hard way as at around 8p one night a few weeks ago their home was struck by a vehicle and pushed 12 inches off of its foundation. The driver of the vehicle had to be removed using the jaws of life and the family who was in the home at the time of the accident had to be relocated to a neighbors house which provide safe haven from the incident. Unfortunately this was not the first time this type of incident had occurred to the occupants of this house who had reported their dangerous proximity to a major road way and dangerous turn to the police on multiple occassions.

As is the case with all accidents the steps you take to understand the best things to do to keep you safe and to protect yourself against injury in the event that something were to happen are not always going to prevent an accident. Accidents occur even when all of the circumstances are taken care of and safety steps are taken. For instance, one of the deadliest things you can do when driving is to drive with excessive speed, but even if you are driving at or below the speed limit an accident can still occur. It is for this reason that you need to understand the safety steps to prevent accidents and be prepared for one even if you are following all of these steps.

How can you maintain safety in your home before and after an incident occurs?

1.) Know your property and where it sits in relation to the roads around you. If you are in a neighborhood and far off the street you may be ok. If your home has no yard in the front and your house butts up against the road, you may have reason to be concerned. You will also want to understand the flow of traffic near your home. If you are on a busy street where drivers are more likely to be driving recklessly you may need to take action.

2.) Take action on your own. If you’ve identified your home as in a risky situation, take steps immediately to make your home visible and protect it against the possibility of a vehicle veering off into it. While you can report your situation to the police and request that the city take action to protect your home, this will require financial and time investments from an already overstretched city and this may not be possible. If you are concerned about an accident occurring, you may not want to wait for the city to take action and you can step in. While this will require some investment on your part to add a sign to your yard or even protective fencing, in the long run it will be important to protect you and your loved ones from the dangerous activity of drivers on your road.

3.) If your home does get struck by a vehicle you should be aware of how you should handle it. First, you should remain calm. It is natural to be shaken, but if you are shaken and cannot remain calm you may make rash decisions that will put you at greater risks. You should then call the police and report the accident and follow their instructions as they get someone out to the scene of the accident. First responders and 911 dispatchers are trained to help keep you calm and direct you in what steps you should take to make sure everyone involved is safe and out of harm’s way. Take the advice that they are giving you and then wait for the authorities to arrive.

There is no way to guarantee that a New Haven auto accident won’t happen in your living room, but rest assured it is not the most common of all accident types. However, preparation and an understanding of what steps to take to prevent this type of accident from happening and having a clear head in the event that it does happen will go a long way in keeping you and your loved ones safe. So, take this information and file it away so that in the event that something were to happen you are ready for it and can handle it with ease.

When an accident happens it can be overwhelming at times and you may need to speak with an attorney who has experience dealing with difficult situations. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will review your situation and work with you on protecting your long-term interests.