Some crashes make it impossible to drive on afterward. Either you or your vehicle is in such a bad state that it is literally not possible. Nevertheless, there are many crashes where things are less clear and a driver might believe it is OK to get back in the vehicle and drive themselves home when it is not.
Generally, it is better not to drive home yourself if possible. Here are some reasons why:
You cannot be sure you are safe
Medical check-ups are the only way to be sure about the extent of your injuries. Some very serious injuries including spinal damage, brain damage and internal bleeding may not be obvious to you or others at the crash scene. If you skip the check-up and drive straight home, you could put yourself at unnecessary risk as well as harming your chances of claiming compensation if you do turn out to be injured.
You cannot be sure your car is safe
Unless you are an experienced mechanic and take the time to thoroughly check over your vehicle, then you cannot be sure it is safe to drive. If the crash was exceedingly minor you might have a good idea that the vehicle is OK, but you still can’t be sure. Imagine it is a rainy, cold night and all you want to do is get home to your family. Can you trust yourself to take the time to fully check your vehicle? Or might you be tempted to skip over something?
You cannot be sure how the crash is affecting your mental state
The human body tends to go into shock after a major scare such as a crash. You might not be best placed to assess the state of yourself or your vehicle. In addition, the scare could affect your driving. You might think you are fine but be overcome by anxiety or panic halfway down the road.
Ringing a friend or family member is wise after a crash. They can help you make the right decisions, such as getting a medical check-up as well as acting as your driver and moving your vehicle or arranging to have it recovered. Moving forward, you can seek legal guidance to examine your compensation options.