You're driving along the road and suddenly — BOOM — another vehicle slams into the side of your car after they ran a stop sign.

Your car is smashed, you feel pains throughout your body, and your heart is racing. Now what?

After a car accident, there are some key steps to take to make sure your rights are protected. It's important to know what to do and what questions may need answers by the other driver to make your insurance claim.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has come under fire lately, as safety advocates claim it is too inconsistent with its policies and too reliant on automakers in investigating auto defects.

In case you missed it, Mercedes-Benz USA filed a recall report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last month announcing the recall of 126,260 vehicles.  Per the report summary, “Due to a manufacturing error, the air bag control unit [in affected vehicles] may corrode and cause the control unit to malfunction.”  This can cause either unexpected deployment while driving or a failure to deploy during a crash, meaning that the defective airbags pose risks to motorists both in everyday use and during motor vehicle accidents.