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There are many forms of shock that follow a car accident - the initial shock of the event is often followed by the shock of the trauma. This later shock can occur any time, from moments after the car accident to hours or even days after.
It's completely normal for anyone involved in a car crash to feel emotional afterwards - any number of different emotions can be felt, all of which are normal and it's important to know that it’s ok to seek help to manage it.
Even smaller bumper bashes can trigger emotional trauma. Trauma can take shape in the form of nightmares, fear, aggression or even unwanted weight-loss. Recovery from mental trauma can be difficult - and sometimes you will need to seek help. Some of the emotional effects can include:
Denial or disbelief
It’s normal for denial or disbelief to set in following a car accident. Emotions can be different for everyone, but common signs include feeling numb to the situation, emotional distress or feeling afraid when talking about it.
Anger or irritability
Many people feel anger after an accident - perhaps you were not at fault, but it’s normal for a rush of anger to take over. Perhaps you are angry at the other driver or even at the situation as a whole. While it’s easy to take anger or irritability out on other people, it’s healthier to rather take a few deep breaths and calm yourself down in the heat of the moment. Your feelings are a normal and valid part of a stressful situation, but it’s important to remember that you don’t need to act upon the feelings.
Guilt or shame
Guilt or shame following an accident are also very common emotions. Perhaps you feel that you could have avoided the car accident, and have thoughts of “what I could have done differently”. However, accidents happen.
Anxiety or fear
Not at fault drivers often deal with residual anxiety or fear following their accidents. Symptoms of anxiety can include, but aren’t limited to, worrying; inability to sleep or relax; or feeling irritable.

Sliding, slipping or aqua-planning are all possible during wet and rainy weather - even the most advanced drivers can be tested should the conditions be very bad. Vision is generally impaired when it rains, from mist and fog to other drivers not paying attention.
Accidents happen, but they are most likely to occur when driving conditions are affected. Rainy weather? Here are a few tips on how you can be safer on the roads.
Experience and confidence
Experience will bring confidence when driving in the rain. Experience can come from driving many hours in similar conditions, or it comes from learning about how to drive in similar conditions such as in the case of taking an advanced driving course. 
Avoid using cruise control
In wet weather, it’s best to have full control of your car’s speed and braking. While it’s a hot topic of debate, it may just be safer to skip cruise control in wet weather.
Regularly check your windscreen wipers
Did you know that you should replace your wipers regularly? Especially in our sunny climate, it’s important to make sure that your wipers are maintained. Don’t get caught off guard when that rain hits.
Use your lights
Reduced visibility due to rainy weather can be dangerous. Besides helping yourself to see the road, your lights will help other drivers see your car.

Not at fault drivers have the right to drive. Being entitled to get back on the road as quickly as possible with a like for like accident replacement car - with all of the costs covered by the driver at fault. And as the not at fault driver, the costs covered should cover a like for like accident replacement car - similar to your own. So as unfortunate as a car accident is, there is a silver lining.
Are you a soccer mom with many afternoon errands? Like for like means that you won’t get stuck with a mini budget hatchback - but rather, you’ll get an accident replacement vehicle similar to your own. There are some other reasons why getting a like for like accident replacement car is a great idea
Time to get used to your accident replacement car
After a car accident it can be difficult getting back on the road - your emotions are probably up in the air. The last thing you need is hours of time to learn a new car. From a different driving position to a different set of car ‘gadgets’ to learn.
Comfort and confidence
Driving a new car can bring anxiety. Securing a like for like accident replacement car can bring you comfort and confidence in getting behind the wheel again. The last thing you need is anxiety and potentially another accident!
Meeting your daily requirements
Do you normally drive a sporty city runabout or are you a SUV driver who needs the extra boot space for that monthly grocery haul? Like for like means that we’ll help you with an accident replacement vehicle that meets your needs while your car is getting fixed. So if your SUV has been damaged in an accident that was not your fault, then contact us - we’ll help you get back on the road as quickly as possible.

Many car accidents are just minor occurrences - a tiny fender bender that’s likely to cause irritation more than anything. So if you’re caught in a minor accident - what’s the process you should follow? Once you’ve secured the scene and made sure that everyone is safe, then it’s a good idea to follow these steps.
Whether you’re at fault or not at fault, if you’re been in a minor accident it's always a good idea to file a police report. Here are a few reasons why.
A police report will help your insurance claim
Did you know that filing a police report for your minor accident may help you with your insurance and recovery process? As the driver who was not at fault, this is important for you. A police report of your car accident is useful as it establishes a record of basic facts and gathering all the parties involved. It also takes into consideration all of the factors involved in the accident.
Personal injury claims made easier
Even minor accidents can cause injuries - and while you may not realize it immediately after your accident, filing a police report may be useful later on once you start feeling the effects of any injuries. Should you decide to pursue a personal injury claim, your police report will assist in establishing the facts of the accident.
Access to an accident replacement vehicle
As the not at fault driver, you have the right to drive and you are entitled to get back to your normal life as quickly as possible. Filing a police report and submitting your claim will get this process started - and we can help you. 
If you’re in an accident and you’re unsure what to do, it’s important to give us a call on our dedicated accident support line - we’ll help you.

Car accidents can leave considerable damage to your vehicle - and sometimes, you aren’t able to see the full extent of the damage with your naked eye. Have you ever had a car written off in an accident that was not your fault or are you wanting to learn more about what it means to have your car written off? Read on!
After an accident, the insurance assessor will want to assess the level of damage that occurred during the accident - this will help the insurance company to determine what costs are involved. The assessment will need to determine if the car is economically viable to fix - is it worth the cost of repairing the vehicle or is it better to write the car off? This is determined by taking the cost of repair and comparing it to the market value of the car.

There are two write off classifications

Statutory write off is where the car is so badly damaged that no repair work will be able to get the car back to a safe standard.
Repairable write off means that while it is possible to repair all of the damage, the cost of the work will be more than the value of the car itself - making it uneconomical to fix.
Even as the not at fault driver, there may be implications if your car is written off - our team will help you navigate this situation so that you get the best outcome possible.
It is possible to dispute a repairable write-off, but this can be a tricky situation. You will only have a limited time to file a dispute and a few things will be needed, including

• Quotes from panel beaters or repair workshops with full details of costs
• Evidence of your car’s market value
• Quotes from salvage yards that reflect the salvage value of your vehicle

In NSW it’s important to remember that cars that have been written off due to a car accident cannot be re-registered. 

Needing help after your car accident? Contact Carbiz, We’ll help you.

Fault of a car accident determines liability - so what happens if you are not at fault? The at fault driver, or his insurance company, is liable for the costs resulting from a car accident. Here are a few frequently asked questions about insurance claims if you were not at fault.

What should I do immediately following the car accident?

Being in an accident is scary - especially if you are unsure as to what to do immediately following the accident. We’ve put together a list of things to follow, but here is a quick recap

• Document the accident scene by collecting evidence and taking photos. A few key pieces of information you need from the other driver(s) include their name, surname, address, insurance company, registration details and details of the vehicle owner (especially if this is a different person to the driver).
• Take note of the time of the accident, where it happened, and what the traffic, lighting and weather conditions were.
• It’s important to report your car accident within 24 hours, so if there were no police at the scene of the accident you will have to visit your local police station to do this.
• If your car can no longer drive and needs to be towed, you will need to contact a tow company and stay on scene until they arrive. It’s a great idea to keep the details of a trusted and reputable towing company saved as a contact on your phone – or even better, contact Carbiz Assist as soon as possible and let us help you.

What happens after you make the claim?

Contacting Carbiz immediately following your car accident allows us to help you with everything - including managing your insurance claim for you. You will need to provide all the details of your car accident as well as that of the at fault driver, and we will take it from there. We will also make sure that as the not at fault driver, you get a like for like accident replacement vehicle.

The driver at fault is not insured, now what?

The team at Carbiz will handle your insurance claim - the at fault driver, or their insurance company is liable for the costs.

Do I need to pay any excess if the car accident was not my fault?

If you are not at fault in the car accident, then no, you will not have to pay any excess. As we mentioned, the costs are for the at fault driver’s account. You will need to provide the details of the other driver for us to be able to process your claim.

What happens if there is a dispute?

If any dispute over who caused the accident occurs, we will manage it on your behalf.

Car accidents happen in seconds - and will catch you while your guard is down. Many people lose their confidence after a car accident, struggling with anxiety when it comes to driving - what if it happens again? This can affect your experience with your accident replacement vehicle. Here are some tips on how you can regain your confidence after an accident that was not your fault.

Choose an accident replacement vehicle that is similar to yours

It’s important to get an accident replacement vehicle that is similar to yours. Besides the need to have a car that meets your current needs, it will make for an easier transition. Driving a car that’s similar to the car you're used to will help calm your nerves - making it safer all round!

Refrain from playing the blame game

With the car accident fresh in your mind, it's easy to rethink things and blame yourself. But if you were not at fault, then you shouldn’t blame yourself.

Take short drives to get used to driving again

A great place to start is taking small local trips around your neighbourhood. Longer trips can be daunting - rather stick to familiar routes which will help ease the nerves. A like for like accident replacement vehicle will also help - by driving a similar car along familiar routes, you will be back to your usual self in no time!

Talk to someone

Sometimes accidents can cause post-traumatic stress. If you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious at the thought of driving again, it's better to rather talk to someone. Don’t hold your feelings in, open up to a therapist - a professional will be able to help you work through things.

Need help after a car accident that was not your fault? Contact the team at Carbiz, We’ll help you.

While many accidents seem to happen out of the blue, there are trends that we can follow. Not my fault car accidents can be frustrating - but if you are driving defensively and aware of your surroundings, you can minimise your risk.

Driving during peak traffic

Accidents tend to occur due to an increased volume of cars on the road - at this time, some road rules may also change to accommodate the increased traffic. Not my fault accidents tend to happen at this time - due to many factors such as driving while distracted.

Friday evenings

Car accidents tend to happen at the end of a week - or at the start of the long weekend. Fatigue can play a role, but there can be a variety of factors that have a hand in this statistic.

Dawn and dusk

The lighting at dawn and dusk can impair a driver’s vision - leading to accidents. It’s suggested to avoid driving during dawn and dusk to decrease your risk!

There are things you can do to reduce your risk of being involved in a not my fault car accident

• Always stay alert and aware of your surroundings
• Do not swerve, rather slow down and brake
• Take extra care while driving during high traffic times

  If you’ve been in an accident that was not your fault, it’s important to take note of the following things - contact Carbiz as soon as possible, we’ll help you.

• Remain calm
• Collect details from the at-fault driver.
• Make sure to document evidence such as time of day, witnesses etc
• Contact Carbiz!