If you intend to celebrate your vacation on the Hawaiian Islands, you should not overlook your car accident risk. After all, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, driving far away from home exposes you to a variety of driving-related dangers, especially in places that have unprotected curves and cliffs.

While you certainly can take steps to stay safe on the road in the Aloha State, you eventually may have to deal with a motor vehicle accident. If you are in a rental car, you may wonder when it is appropriate to notify the company of your crash.

Prioritize medical treatment

Before you do anything else in the aftermath of a car accident, it is vital to check yourself, your passengers and other involved individuals for injuries. Remember, the symptoms of even catastrophic injuries may be slow to appear. If there is so much as a remote chance you may not be fine, it is advisable to go to the emergency room for a medical evaluation.

Check your rental agreement

Your rental agreement probably outlines when and how you must contact the company after an accident in one of its vehicles. If your agreement is silent, you should call the company’s emergency number as soon as possible. When you do, though, you should be careful about what you say. After all, you do not want to make matters worse by admitting fault before you have all the information.

Ultimately, if you are nervous about reporting a possible accident to the rental car company, you may want to obtain specific legal guidance before you leave for your much-anticipated Hawaiian trip.