What to Do After a Car Accident: Step-by-Step Guide

A car accident leaves most drivers shaken, and the decisions you make in the first ten minutes matter more than anything you do later. The direct answer is this: check for injuries first, get everyone to safety, call the police, exchange information, photograph everything, and notify your insurer the same day — in that order. Do not discuss fault at the scene, and do not accept a cash offer from the other driver on the spot.

The scale of the problem is large. In the United States, 39,254 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2024, police reported an estimated 6.18 million crashes, and 2.42 million people were injured (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA). In Great Britain, 1,602 people were killed on the roads in 2024, with 128,272 casualties of all severities (Department for Transport). Most crashes are not fatal, but a calm, correct sequence at the scene protects your health, your legal position, and your insurance claim.

This guide covers the United States and the United Kingdom, because the steps are mostly the same but the emergency numbers and reporting rules differ. It is general information, not legal advice: if anyone is seriously hurt, or the other driver disputes what happened, talk to a qualified attorney in your state or country.

The first 10 minutes: what to do after a car accident, in order

1. Check yourself for injuries. If you are hurt, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK) and do not move unnecessarily.
2. Check your passengers, including children and anyone in the back seat.
3. Get out of traffic — move to the sidewalk, the shoulder, or behind a barrier. Switch on your hazard lights.
4. Call the police — 911 in the US, 999 in the UK (101 for non-emergencies in the UK).
5. Exchange details with the other driver: name, contact, insurer, policy number, licence plate.
6. Photograph everything — both cars, the plates, the road, signs, skid marks, and any visible injuries.
7. Note witnesses and get the responding officers’ names and badge numbers.
8. Call your insurer the same day and open the claim while the details are fresh.

Each step is explained in full below, with the US and UK differences marked.

At a glance: US vs UK after a crash

Step 1: Check yourself for injuries

Check yourself before you do anything else. If you are hurt, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK, or ask someone else to do it. If you are seriously injured, try not to move and wait for emergency personnel — moving can make a spinal injury worse.

Why it matters: adrenaline can mask pain right after a crash, so feeling “fine” in the first minutes proves very little. If you feel dizzy, confused, or in pain, say so to the paramedics. A medical record made on the day of the crash is also the document your insurer will ask for if an injury claim follows.

Step 2: Check on your passengers

Check every passenger in your car, including children and anyone in the back seat. If anyone is injured, call emergency services and do not move them unless they are in immediate danger, for example from fire or oncoming traffic.

Why it matters: passengers cannot always speak for themselves, and children may be frightened into silence. A quick check now prevents a minor injury from being missed until hours later, when it is harder to connect to the crash.

Watch for injuries that appear later

Some crash injuries do not hurt at the scene. Whiplash — a neck injury caused by the head snapping forward and back — commonly produces stiffness and pain 24 to 72 hours later. A concussion can show up as a lingering headache, dizziness, confusion, or trouble concentrating. Abdominal pain, deep bruising, or numbness can signal internal injuries that are not visible at all.

Get checked by a doctor promptly if any symptom develops in the days after the crash, even if you felt fine at the scene — and tell the doctor the symptoms followed a car accident. This protects your health first, and it also creates the dated medical record an insurer looks for when an injury claim is filed later. This is general information, not medical advice: if symptoms are severe, call emergency services.

Step 3: Get to safety

If you can move safely, get yourself and your passengers out of traffic — to the side of the road, a sidewalk, or behind a barrier. If your car is drivable and is blocking traffic or creating a hazard, pull it to the side. If it is not safe to drive, leave it where it is and walk away from the road.

Why it matters: a large share of post-crash injuries happen after the first impact, when a stopped car is hit again or a driver is struck while standing in a lane. Your car can be replaced; you cannot. On a motorway or freeway, get behind the guardrail and well away from the carriageway.

Step 4: Call the police

Call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK, even for a crash that looks minor. The responding officers will document the scene and file an accident report. In many US states a police report is legally required when someone is injured or damage passes a threshold set by that state — the threshold varies, so do not assume a small-looking crash is exempt. If the police cannot come to the scene, the Insurance Information Institute (III) advises going to the nearest police station and filing a report yourself.

Why it matters: your insurer will very likely ask for a copy of the police report when you file a claim, and an independent official record is far stronger than two drivers’ competing memories. Get the name and badge number of every responding officer, and ask where you can obtain a copy of the report.

Step 5: Wait for help — and protect the scene

Turn off your engine, switch on your hazard lights, and, if you have them, set out road flares or a warning triangle from your emergency kit. Stay visible and stay out of traffic while you wait.

What to consider: beware of “bandit” tow trucks — drivers you did not call who pull over and offer help, a warning the National Insurance Crime Bureau has raised repeatedly. Only accept a tow from a company you called, your insurer called, or the police called. If your car must be towed, note the company name and where the car is going.

Step 6: Exchange information with the other driver

Once everyone is safe and help is on the way, exchange details with the other driver. The III lists the following as the most important information to exchange:

• Full name and contact information for every driver involved
• Insurance company name and policy number
• Driver’s licence number
• Licence plate number and vehicle identification number (VIN)
• The make, model and colour of each vehicle

Why it matters: this is the information your insurer needs to open a claim against the other driver’s policy — or to defend you if the other driver claims you were at fault. Photograph the other driver’s insurance card and licence plate rather than trusting handwritten notes in the dark. Limit the conversation to these facts. Do not discuss fault. The adjuster who reviews your claim will decide fault from the vehicle damage, the police report, photos and statements — not from what anyone said at the roadside.

Step 7: Document the accident thoroughly

Photograph everything before anything is moved, if it is safe to do so. The III recommends:

• Photograph every vehicle from several angles, showing the damage to your car and the other car
• Photograph the licence plates, the road, skid marks, traffic signs and signals, and the weather and road conditions
• Photograph any visible injuries
• Write down (or record on your phone) the time, location, direction of travel, and what happened, while it is fresh
• Note the names and contact details of any witnesses
• Get the responding officers’ names and badge numbers, and ask where to obtain the police report

Why it matters: photos taken at the scene settle arguments that words cannot. A dent that looks minor in daylight can hide thousands of dollars of damage underneath, and a photo of the other car’s position can show which driver ran the light. If the other driver later changes their story, your photos and the police report are your evidence.

Step 8: Notify your insurer and start the claim

Call your insurer as soon as you can — ideally while you are still at the scene, or the same day. Your agent or claims line will tell you exactly what they need and what to expect next: a claim number, an adjuster’s name, where to get a repair estimate, and whether a rental car is covered.

Why it matters: almost every auto policy requires you to notify the insurer promptly after an accident. A delay of days can slow the claim, and in some cases can give the insurer grounds to dispute it. You do not need a police report number to make the first call — give what you have, and add the report later. If the other driver was at fault, you can usually claim through their insurer, but notifying your own insurer as well protects you if their coverage is thin or denied.

Know which coverage does what, because the claim runs on these terms:

• Liability coverage pays for injuries and damage you cause to other people. Every US state except New Hampshire requires it.
• Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your own car after a crash, minus your deductible, regardless of fault.
• Comprehensive coverage pays for non-crash damage — theft, fire, hail, a falling tree.
• Uninsured / underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) pays when the at-fault driver has no insurance, or too little.
• Personal injury protection (PIP) and medical payments (MedPay) cover medical costs for you and your passengers; PIP is standard in no-fault states.
• Deductible — the amount you pay out of pocket before the insurer pays the rest.
• Total loss — if repairs cost more than the car is worth, the insurer declares a total loss and pays the car’s actual cash value instead. If you owe more on the loan than that value, you are responsible for the gap unless you carry gap insurance — a risk we explain in how to finance a car.
• Diminished value — a repaired car is usually worth less than an identical never-crashed car. In some states you can claim that lost value from the at-fault driver’s insurer; ask your adjuster, because it is rarely offered unprompted.

What not to do at the scene

The mistakes drivers make after a crash are almost always the same ones. Avoid all of them:

• Do not admit fault. Do not say “I’m sorry, it was my fault” — even to be polite. Fault is a legal and insurance decision, not a roadside one, and your words can be used against you.
• Do not say “I’m fine” as a medical statement. Tell paramedics how you actually feel. Some injuries, especially whiplash and concussion, appear hours or days later.
• Do not accept cash at the scene. An offer of cash to “settle it now” almost always undervalues the damage, and once you accept it you have usually given up any claim.
• Do not sign anything from the other driver or their insurer at the scene.
• Do not post about the crash on social media. Photos and comments can be found by the other side’s insurer and used to dispute your claim.
• Do not leave the scene before exchanging details or reporting the crash. In the US and the UK alike, leaving is a criminal offence.

Special situations: when the crash is not straightforward

Hit-and-run

If the other driver leaves, do not chase them. Note the licence plate, vehicle colour, make and model, and direction of travel, then call the police immediately and report it as a hit-and-run. Your own uninsured-motorist coverage may cover the damage, depending on your state and policy — ask your insurer. In the UK, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) handles claims involving untraced or uninsured drivers under its Untraced Drivers’ Agreement.

The other driver has no insurance

Stay calm, collect whatever details you can, and call the police. Then call your own insurer: uninsured-motorist coverage, where you have it, exists for exactly this situation. If you do not have it, you may have to claim on your own collision coverage and pay your deductible. Our guide to bad credit car loans also explains how drivers rebuild coverage and financing after a costly claim.

Your parked car was hit

If someone hits your parked car and leaves a note, call the number and your insurer. If there is no note, photograph the damage, check for CCTV or nearby witnesses, and report it to the police — a report supports a claim on your own policy. In the UK, if nobody is available to exchange details with, you must report the accident to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and within 24 hours under Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. A telephone call does not satisfy that duty — it must be reported in person at a police station or to a constable.

No injuries and only minor damage

Still exchange details and still notify your insurer. A bumper that looks fine can hide a cracked sensor or a bent crash bar, and repair bills for modern cars — with cameras and radar behind the bumper — routinely run into four figures. The Insurance Information Institute puts the average collision claim at $5,489 in 2024, which is what “minor” damage now costs. If both drivers agree the damage is trivial and you settle privately, get the agreement in writing; otherwise the other driver can file a claim weeks later.

A crash in a rental car

Call the rental company first — most rental agreements require immediate notification — then the police, then your insurer. Your personal auto policy or credit card may provide rental coverage; check both before you pay for the rental company’s damage waiver on your next trip.

What an accident really costs: a worked example

The average claim is much larger than most drivers expect. According to Insurance Information Institute data for 2024 (ISO/Verisk figures), the average bodily injury liability claim was $28,278, and the average property damage liability claim was $6,770. The National Safety Council (NSC) puts the average economic cost of a crash at $28,000 per person with a possible injury, $45,000 for an evident injury, and $174,000 for a disabling injury, and estimates total US motor-vehicle injury costs at $559.3 billion in 2024, including medical care, lost wages, vehicle damage and administrative costs.

Here is a realistic minor-crash example:

That is the cheap version. Add one injury claim at the $28,278 average, and the same crash costs the insurance system more than $35,000 — which is why the steps at the scene matter: good documentation is what turns a disputed claim into a paid one.

The other cost is your premium. An at-fault accident usually raises your premium at renewal, by an amount that depends on your state, your insurer and your driving record. The cheapest long-term defence is a clean record and the right coverage before a crash happens — our guide to getting the cheapest car insurance quotes explains how limits, deductibles and discounts set the price you pay, and how to finance a car explains the loan side if your car is written off and you still owe more than it is worth.

If your car is a total loss and you need a replacement, our rankings of the best electric cars of 2026 and the cheapest electric cars of 2026 are a good place to start.

How to get your claim handled smoothly

• File promptly and keep everything. One folder — paper or digital — for the police report number, claim number, photos, repair estimates, medical bills and every email with the insurer.
• Use your insurer’s app if it has one. Most major insurers let you report the claim, upload photos, check status and book a rental from your phone.
• You can usually choose your repair shop. Your insurer may suggest a network shop, but in most US states you have the right to use the shop you trust. Get an independent estimate if the insurer’s figure looks low.
• Ask about diminished value. If the other driver was at fault, your repaired car is worth less than before the crash — in many states that loss is claimable, but insurers rarely volunteer it.
• Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer on the spot. You can give the facts in writing, after you have had time to think. If you are injured, consider speaking to an attorney before giving any statement.
• If a claim is denied, ask why in writing. Then appeal through the insurer’s internal process, and if that fails, complain to your state’s department of insurance — every state has one, and insurers take those complaints seriously.

FAQ

Do I have to call the police after a minor car accident?
In the US, call 911 even for a minor crash — in many states a police report is legally required if anyone is injured or damage passes a state-set threshold, and your insurer will likely ask for the report. In the UK, you must report to the police within 24 hours if you could not exchange details or anyone was injured. When in doubt, call.

What if I feel fine at the scene but pain starts days later?
This is common — whiplash and concussion symptoms often appear 24 to 72 hours after a crash. See a doctor promptly, say the symptoms followed a car accident, and tell your insurer. A dated medical record connects the injury to the crash, which matters if you claim later.

How long do I have to file an insurance claim?
Notify your insurer the same day if you can. Most policies require prompt notification, and a delay can slow or jeopardise the claim. The legal deadline to sue over an accident — the statute of limitations — is separate and varies by state, typically two to three years for injury claims.

Should I admit fault after an accident?
No. Do not discuss fault at the scene. Exchange facts only — names, insurance, licence plates, photos. Fault is decided later by the adjuster, using the police report, damage and evidence.

What if the accident was partly my fault?
You can usually still claim. Most US states use comparative negligence, which reduces your compensation by your share of fault (and in many states bars recovery only if you were more than 50% at fault). A few states use contributory negligence, where any fault of your own can bar a claim. This is one reason never to speculate about fault at the scene.

What if the other driver has no insurance?
Call the police, collect the details you can, and notify your own insurer. Uninsured-motorist coverage, where you have it, covers this. Without it, your own collision coverage may pay for repairs minus your deductible.

What should I do after a hit-and-run?
Do not chase the other driver. Note the plate, colour, make and model, and call the police immediately. Photograph the scene and your damage, then notify your insurer — uninsured-motorist coverage may apply. In the UK, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau handles untraced-driver claims.

Should I give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company?
Not on the spot, and not before you have had time to think. You can provide the basic facts in writing. If you were injured, consider speaking to an attorney first — a recorded statement can be used to dispute your claim later.

Will my insurance go up after an accident?
Usually, yes, if you were at fault — by how much depends on your state, insurer, and driving record. A not-at-fault accident generally has a smaller effect, and some insurers offer accident forgiveness. Shopping for new quotes at renewal is the fastest way to limit the increase.

Bottom Line

A car accident is stressful, but the right sequence is simple: injuries first, safety second, police third, then information, photos, and a same-day call to your insurer. Never admit fault at the scene, never accept cash on the spot, and never leave without exchanging details or reporting the crash. The ten minutes you spend documenting the scene can be the difference between a claim that is paid quickly and one that is disputed for months — and in a year when 39,254 Americans and 1,602 Britons died on the roads, the safety steps matter far more than the paperwork.

Sources & Pricing Note

Crash and casualty figures come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2024 (DOT HS 813 791, April 2026) and the UK Department for Transport’s Reported Road Casualties Great Britain, Annual Report 2024 (September 2025). Claim averages are Insurance Information Institute figures for 2024, based on ISO/Verisk data ($28,278 average bodily injury liability claim; $6,770 average property damage liability claim; $5,489 average collision claim; the bodily injury data exclude Massachusetts and most no-fault states). Crash cost estimates are National Safety Council Injury Facts figures for 2024 ($559.3 billion total motor-vehicle injury costs; $28,000 average economic cost per possible injury; $174,000 per disabling injury). The step-by-step sequence follows the Insurance Information Institute’s post-accident guidance (summary of the III steps). UK reporting duties are from Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. National averages are not quotes for your case: repair costs, premiums and claim values vary by state, insurer and circumstances. This guide is general information, not legal or medical advice — check your own policy and local law, and consult a qualified attorney if you are injured or fault is disputed.

Last updated: November 2026

About the Author

Written by William, founder and editor of MotorAmaze. He covers car buying, finance and insurance for US and UK drivers, with a focus on practical guides that save readers real money. Read more about him at https://motoramaze.com/about/.