Car accidents are stressful events. You will not be in a good state of mind following a collision, even if it was relatively minor. It is for this reason that many people develop phobias and even post-traumatic stress disorder following an auto accident.
In this flustered state of mind, you may step out of your car and say something you regret. No matter how bad the accident was, you never want to say, “I’m sorry” following a traffic collision. It may seem innocuous, but it could do more harm than good in the long run.
The dangers of “I’m sorry”
The reason you need to avoid saying “sorry” after a collision is that an insurance company could misconstrue it as an admission of guilt. You may genuinely believe that you are at fault for the collision and that you need to accept blame. Even if that seems to be the case, you do not want to admit fault. There could be other factors at play that also played a role in the crash.
For example, the other driver may have had faulty brake lights. You may not have seen the car directly in front of you, and as a result, you rear-ended the other person. You may be able to share blame in this instance. Additionally, the road may have contained potholes or other imperfections. This can lead you to inadvertently hitting another vehicle. Do not admit blame until you have all the facts.
What you can say instead
You have to say something to the other driver, and in this case, the best thing to say is, “Are you okay?” Once you make sure everyone in your vehicle is safe, you want to ensure everyone else in the other car is all right. If anyone has sustained injuries, then you need to call an ambulance immediately. From there, you can exchange insurance information and begin the claims process.