Driving · CrashPack
What to do after a car accident step by step
After a car accident: check yourself and others for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt. Move vehicles out of traffic if safe and turn on hazard lights. Exchange name, address, phone, license number, insurance, and plate with the other driver. Photograph damage, the scene, and documents, get witness contacts, then notify your insurer and, where required, the DMV.
First minute: injuries, position, and 911
This guide is general information for drivers. It is not legal advice, and reporting rules differ by state and country. If you are unsure of your obligations, contact your insurer or a lawyer.
Nemours KidsHealth, which publishes a post-crash checklist aimed at new drivers, starts with two actions before anything else: calm yourself with a few slow breaths, then check for injuries on yourself, your passengers, the other driver, and anyone nearby. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, if airbags deployed, or if a vehicle cannot be driven. When in doubt, call. Adrenaline hides pain, and the dispatcher can decide whether to send an ambulance.
If the vehicles can move and nobody is seriously hurt, KidsHealth advises moving to the shoulder or a parking lot so you are not sitting in live traffic, then turning on hazard lights and placing warning triangles or flares if you have them. I Drive Safely, writing about arriving at a crash as a bystander, adds that vehicles should be put in park with the ignition off to reduce fire risk, and that injured people should not be moved unless they are in immediate danger.
Do not leave the scene. Leaving a crash with injuries or damage is an offense in most places, even when you believe you were not at fault.
Exchange information, and only information
KidsHealth lists what to get from the other driver: name, address, phone number, driver's license number, insurance company and policy number, and license plate. Get the same for every vehicle involved, and note the make, model, and color. If the driver is not the registered owner, get the owner's name and insurance too.
The easiest way to capture this accurately is to photograph the other driver's license, insurance card, and plate rather than copying by hand. Ask permission, hold the card flat, and check that the photo is readable before you put the phone away. Offer your own documents the same way.
Keep the conversation to facts. Do not argue about fault and do not say it was your fault, even to be polite. Fault is decided later from the evidence, the police report, and the insurers' investigation. Saying sorry at the roadside can be quoted back to you.
Photograph the scene in a fixed order
KidsHealth's checklist says to photograph the damage to all vehicles and the accident scene. In practice, a fixed order stops you from forgetting the shot that matters. Start wide: both vehicles where they stopped, from far enough back to show the lane, the intersection, and any signals or signs. Then the other vehicle from all four corners, then your own. Then close-ups of each damaged area with something in frame for scale.
Next, the road itself: skid marks, debris, standing water, sun glare, a hidden stop sign, a broken traffic light. Then the documents: the other driver's license, insurance card, and plate. Finally, anything that tells the time and weather, such as a wide shot that includes the sky.
A phone camera stamps each photo with the time, which is what an insurer wants when reconstructing the sequence. Some drivers use a checklist app such as CrashPack that shows one instruction per screen and builds the photos into a single timestamped PDF; a paper checklist in the glove box does the same job if you follow it in order.
Write down what KidsHealth calls the accident details while they are fresh: date, time, location, weather, direction of travel, speed, and what happened in plain sentences. If there are witnesses, get their names and phone numbers before they drive off.
Police report and what to ask the officer
KidsHealth notes that reporting to police is required when there are injuries or significant damage, and the threshold for significant is set by your state. If officers come to the scene, ask for their names and badge numbers, the report or incident number, and where to get a copy. The report becomes the neutral account both insurers rely on.
If police do not come, which is common for minor crashes in busy areas, you can still file a report at the nearest station or online in many jurisdictions. Do this the same day. A self-filed report is better than no report when the other driver's story changes a week later.
Report to your insurer and to the DMV where required
Call your insurance company as soon as you are somewhere safe, even if you do not plan to claim. Most policies require prompt notice of any accident, and the other driver may claim against you. Send them the photos and the other driver's details from your phone.
Some states also require a separate report to the motor vehicle department. In California, the DMV states that if anyone was injured, no matter how minor, or killed, or if property damage exceeds $1,000, you or your insurance agent, broker, or legal representative must file an SR-1 report with the DMV within 10 days. The DMV is explicit that a police report does not satisfy this requirement; the officer will not file it for you. Other states have their own forms, thresholds, and deadlines, so check your DMV's website the day after the crash.
Keep every document in one place: the police report number, the claim number, the adjuster's name, repair estimates, and medical receipts. A single folder or a single PDF makes the claim faster.
The days after: medical follow-up and records
KidsHealth advises seeing a doctor if you have pain, dizziness, or headaches after the crash, even a day or two later. Soft-tissue injuries and concussion symptoms often appear after the adrenaline fades. A medical record dated close to the crash matters if injuries turn out to be more than you thought.
Do not post about the crash on social media, and do not discuss fault with the other driver's insurer without your own insurer's guidance. Answer their factual questions, decline to give a recorded statement about fault, and refer them to your insurer. If you are injured or the other side disputes fault, a consultation with a lawyer is worth the time; many offer a free first call.
Frequently asked questions
Should I call the police for a minor accident?
KidsHealth says reporting is required when there are injuries or significant damage, with the threshold set by your state. For minor crashes many police departments will not attend, but you can file a report at the station or online the same day, and it is worth doing.
What information do I have to exchange?
Name, address, phone number, driver's license number, insurance company and policy number, and license plate, for every driver involved. Photographing the license, insurance card, and plate is more accurate than writing it down.
Should I admit fault at the scene?
No. Stick to facts, exchange information, and let the police report and insurers determine fault. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Do I have to report the accident to the DMV?
It depends on the state. In California the DMV requires an SR-1 within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed or damage exceeds $1,000, and the police report does not replace it. Check your own state's DMV rules.
What if I feel fine now but hurt the next day?
See a doctor. KidsHealth advises medical follow-up for pain, dizziness, or headaches after a crash, because symptoms can appear once the adrenaline wears off, and an early medical record supports any later claim.
