In a wreck? Here's some advice

Raleigh, N.C. — Did Tuesday's snowstorm put you in a fender bender?

The North Carolina Highway Patrol said Tuesday afternoon it had responded to 1,200 car wrecks statewide by 4 p.m., most of them related to Tuesday's snow and most of them minor.

If you're involved in a minor wreck – one in which no one is seriously hurt – what should you do? There are several ways to prevent further injuries, reduce costs and speed up the repair process:

• Protect yourself from the start. Use your cell phone or a camera to take photos of the scene and the vehicles involved.
• Move the vehicles and all of the people involved well out of the way so they don't cause another wreck.
• Before you have your vehicle towed to a repair shop, get references and check the shop's status with the Better Business Bureau.
• Since the average crash repair costs more than $2,200, get a written estimate before any work begins.
• Finally, with many people in the same situation, right now, have patience. Russ Porter, with Carolina Auto Body Repair, says severe weather often means it will be busy at auto repair shops.

Another thing to keep in mind: If the wreck is minor, you and the other driver might decide to handle the damages without involving insurance companies.

There are risks to that, however: That driver might later change his or her mind or claim injuries, and that could create more problems than just higher insurance rates.