What to Do After a Car Accident: The Complete Step-by-Step

A car accident compresses a set of important decisions into a short window — while you are stressed, possibly injured, and dealing with an unfamiliar situation. Knowing the correct sequence in advance is the difference between a well-documented incident that resolves cleanly and one that creates months of disputes.

This guide covers what to do at the scene, what to document, what to say and not say, and what comes next. This is part of the Total Ownership Guide.

Immediately After Impact

Check for Injuries First

Before anything else: are you injured? Are passengers injured? Are people in the other vehicle injured?

Do not move anyone who may have a neck or spinal injury unless there is an immediate danger (fire, traffic). Moving an injured person incorrectly can worsen the injury.

Call 911 if anyone is injured. An ambulance and police response is appropriate for any injury accident, however minor the injury seems. Adrenaline masks pain — injuries that feel minor at the scene sometimes turn out to be significant.

Move to Safety If Possible

If the vehicles are drivable and the collision occurred in a traffic lane, move them to the shoulder or a parking lot — out of active traffic. Turn on hazard lights.

If the vehicles are not drivable, exit and move to the shoulder or sidewalk away from traffic. Do not stand in the lane between or behind vehicles.

Exception: If there is any possibility of injury that could be worsened by moving, do not move — wait for emergency services.

Call the Police

For any accident with:

• Injuries (any severity)
• Significant vehicle damage
• Disagreement between the parties about what happened
• A driver who appears intoxicated
• A driver who wants to handle it “between yourselves” without a report

A police report creates an official record of what happened, who was involved, and who was cited — if anyone. This record is valuable for insurance claims and any subsequent disputes.

For minor fender-benders with no injuries, minimal damage, and cooperative parties: A police report is optional in some jurisdictions. However, getting a report even for minor accidents provides documentation that protects you if the other party later claims more damage or injury than was apparent at the scene.

What to Document at the Scene

Your phone is your documentation tool. Use it.

Photograph Everything

• Both vehicles: all four sides, close-ups of the damage, the license plates
• The overall scene: the position of the vehicles, skid marks, road conditions, traffic signals, signage
• The other driver’s license, registration, and insurance card
• Any visible injuries (with permission where relevant)
• The VIN of the other vehicle if possible (dashboard, driver’s door jamb)
• Weather and road conditions

More photos than you think you need. Damage that seems minor at the scene can be more extensive when the vehicle is on a lift.

Information to Exchange

With the other driver(s):

• Full name and contact information
• Driver’s license number and state
• License plate number
• Vehicle make, model, year, and color
• Insurance company name and policy number
• Insurance agent contact information

Get this information even if the police are responding — do not rely solely on the police report to capture everything.

Collect Witness Information

If any bystanders witnessed the accident, ask for their names and contact information. Independent witnesses who have no stake in the outcome carry significant weight in disputed liability situations.

Note the Officer Information

If police respond: get the responding officer’s name and badge number, and ask how to obtain a copy of the report. You will typically need the report number — request it before the officer leaves.

What to Say and What Not to Say

Do Say:

• Basic factual information to the police: your name, license, registration, insurance
• “I’m not sure” when you are not sure of a fact
• Your insurance information to the other driver

Do Not Say:

• “I’m sorry” or “It was my fault” — even as a reflexive social response. Apologies and admissions of fault can be used against you in the insurance and legal process that follows. Fault is determined by the investigation, not by what you say at the scene.
• Speculate about what happened if you are not certain
• Give a recorded statement to the other party’s insurance company at the scene or immediately after

Note: This is not about being uncooperative — it is about not making statements in a high-stress, incomplete-information situation that may later be characterized as admissions. You will have the opportunity to provide a full account through your insurance company.

Filing the Insurance Claim

Contact your insurance company as soon as possible — ideally the same day. Most insurers have 24/7 claims lines and apps.

Provide:

• Date, time, and location of the accident
• Description of what happened
• Other driver’s information
• Police report number
• Your documentation (photos, witness information)

Your insurer will assign a claims adjuster who coordinates the repair process and liability determination. See the insurance claim guide for the full claims process, and the insurance coverage guide for how your coverage applies in different scenarios.

Your coverage applies regardless of fault in most scenarios — collision coverage pays for your vehicle’s repair regardless of who caused the accident (minus your deductible). Liability coverage pays for the other party’s damage if you are at fault.

What If the Other Driver Has No Insurance?

If you have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, your own policy covers your damage and injuries when the at-fault driver is uninsured. This is one of the most practical coverage types to carry and one of the most frequently underpurchased.

Without UM coverage: Your options are filing against the other driver’s assets directly (often impractical) or absorbing the loss. This is one of the clearer arguments for carrying UM/UIM coverage — the frequency of uninsured drivers on the road in most states makes the exposure real.

Document everything at the scene whether or not you know the other driver is insured — you won’t know their insurance status until you check.

What If the Other Driver Leaves the Scene?

A hit-and-run is a crime. Call 911 immediately. Write down everything you can remember: vehicle color, make, model, partial plate, direction of travel.

Your uninsured motorist coverage typically applies to hit-and-run situations even though the driver is unknown. Document the scene as thoroughly as possible — photos of your damage, any witness information, and the police report are essential for the claim.

When to See a Doctor

After any accident involving more than a minor parking lot tap, see a doctor within 24–48 hours — even if you feel fine at the scene.

Why: Soft tissue injuries (whiplash, muscle strain) often have delayed onset — symptoms may not appear until 24–72 hours after the accident. Documenting injuries through a physician shortly after the accident creates a medical record that connects the injury to the accident. Injuries discovered and documented weeks later are harder to link clearly to the incident.

Medical documentation is also required for any personal injury claim if you were hurt.

After the Accident: What Comes Next

Repair authorization: Your insurer or the at-fault driver’s insurer will coordinate repair. You have the right to choose your own repair shop in most states — you are not required to use the insurer’s preferred shop, though using it may simplify the process.

Rental car: If covered under your policy (rental reimbursement coverage) or the at-fault driver’s liability, you are entitled to a rental during the repair period. Confirm coverage before the repair begins.

Total loss: If your vehicle’s repair cost approaches or exceeds its market value, the insurer will declare it a total loss and offer a settlement. You can negotiate this settlement if you believe the market value offered is below actual fair market value for your vehicle’s condition.

Accident history and vehicle value: An accident on your vehicle’s record reduces its resale value. A Bumper VIN check surfaces accident history on almost any vehicle — useful both for understanding your own vehicle’s history and for evaluating used vehicles where the seller’s account may not be complete.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do immediately after a car accident? Check for injuries first. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Move vehicles out of traffic if safe. Exchange information with the other driver. Photograph everything. Contact your insurance company.

Should I admit fault at the scene? No. Do not apologize or make statements about fault. Fault is determined through the insurance investigation process. Statements made at the scene can complicate that process.

Do I need to call the police for a minor accident? Recommended for any accident with injury, significant damage, an uncooperative other driver, or a suspected intoxicated driver. For truly minor fender-benders with no injuries and cooperative parties, a police report is optional — but provides documentation that protects you if the situation becomes disputed later.

What if the other driver doesn’t have insurance? Your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage applies — if you have it. UM coverage pays for your damages and injuries when the at-fault driver is uninsured. Document everything and file through your own insurer.

When should I see a doctor after an accident? Within 24–48 hours even if you feel fine. Soft tissue injuries have delayed onset. Medical documentation shortly after the accident is necessary for any injury claim.

The Scene Documentation You Do in Five Minutes Protects You for Months

Thorough scene documentation — photos, information exchange, witness contacts, police report — takes five minutes and protects against months of disputes about what happened and who was responsible. Do it before leaving the scene.

Run a Bumper VIN Check — See Any Vehicle’s Reported Accident History →

Part of Car Ownership — The Used Car Buyer’s Ally

*All ranges and costs are estimates and may vary. For state specific information always check with your state for the most accurate up to date information.