What To Do After The First Car Accident?

The most important things to focus on immediately after a car accident are safety, medical care, and reporting the accident. Once all parties are safe, documenting where the collision occurred and sharing pertinent information will help protect you from legal issues and loss of coverage in an insurance claim. 

After a car accident, people typically experience confusion, fear, or other strong emotions. Knowing what to do after a car accident can greatly reduce stress for everyone involved. Additionally, understanding best practices for responding in the immediate aftermath of a car accident, including reporting the incident, filing an insurance claim, and repairing your vehicle, is crucial for all motorists.

Car Accident Statistics You Should Know

Car accidents are a common part of driving in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were about 6.1 million police-reported traffic crashes in the USA in 2023. Drivers across the U.S. get involved in accidents; therefore, knowing what to do if you get in a car accident can make a significant difference in your safety, health, legal rights, and insurance claim.

What to Do Immediately After a Car Accident

If you’re wondering what to do immediately after a car accident, follow these five steps in order:

1. Check for injuries and call 911.
2. Move to a safe location if it’s safe to do so.
3. Call the police.
4. Exchange information with the other driver.
5. Document the accident scene.

1. Check for Injuries and Call 911

Check your body for injuries, and then check on your passengers. If you or anyone else is hurt, bleeding, or feeling dizzy, call 911 immediately to get paramedics on the way. 

If you suspect someone has a head, neck, or back injury, do not move them. Moving them can make a spinal injury much worse. The only exception is if there is an immediate, life-threatening danger, such as a car fire or an incoming highway traffic.

2. Move to a Safe Location (If Possible)

If your vehicle is safe to drive, try to pull it over as close as possible to the side of the road, into an adjacent parking lot, or to another place where it won't create a hazard for passing vehicles. Pulling your vehicle off the road is not admitting liability for your part in the collision. It simply reduces the chances of being involved in another crash.

Turn on your hazard lights to alert passing motorists to the accident. If it isn’t safe to exit your vehicle due to heavy traffic or poor visibility, remain in your car with your seatbelt securely fastened and wait for emergency responders.

3. Call the Police

Call the police immediately after the accident. In many states, a police report is required if anyone has been injured or if there has been significant property damage. Even when the law does not require you to report the accident, it may be helpful when filing an insurance claim and documenting details. This could be helpful if there is ever a dispute about what happened at the time of the accident. 

Before the officer leaves, ask for their name and badge number, and find out how you can get a copy of the accident report later.

4. Exchange Information With the Other Driver

Be as calm and polite as you can when exchanging the necessary details of your vehicle and insurance with the driver involved in the collision.

You should collect the following:

• Full name 
• Phone number (if anything about it seems off later, you can run a reverse phone lookup to confirm who it belongs to)
• Insurance company  
• Insurance policy number
• Driver’slicense number 
• License plate number (you can run a license plate lookup later to verify the other driver's vehicle details if needed)
• Vehicle specifications, including make, model, and color

Avoid arguing over whose fault the collision was or apologizing, as a simple apology may be misinterpreted by either party. Rather, focus on providing factual information so that law enforcement and insurance companies can investigate the incident further.

5. Document the Scene

Before the vehicles are moved, if it’s safe, take plenty of photos using your phone. Try to photograph:

• Damage to all vehicles affected from several angles
• The entire accident scene
• License plates
• Skid marks, traffic signs, and traffic signals
• Road and weather conditions
• Any visible injuries

If someone witnessed the accident, ask for their name and contact information. Sometimes witnesses can provide additional explanations of how the accident occurred when accounts of what happened differ.

What to Do After a Car Accident (Next Steps)

Once you’ve left the accident scene, there are still a few important things to take care of. Following these steps can help protect your health, support your insurance claim, and make it easier to deal with repairs and paperwork.

6. Notify Your Insurance Company

Contact your insurance carrier as quickly as possible. Most auto insurance contracts require that you notify them of an automobile accident within 24-48 hours.

Reporting an accident does not mean that you are making a claim for damages. It simply means notifying your insurance provider of the incident, and they will then provide you with further explanation of your coverage options, assist you in answering any questions, and help determine what course of action you should take.

Even if the other driver caused the accident, you should still let your insurance company know what happened. Your insurer can explain how your policy applies, help protect your interests if the other driver's insurer disputes liability, and step in if unexpected issues arise during the claims process. 

Contact your insurance company as soon as you can, and be ready to share the date, time, and location of the accident, along with the other driver's insurance information and contact details, if you have them. The more accurate the details you provide, the smoother your claim is likely to be.

7. Get a Copy of the Police Report

If the police responded to the accident, request a copy of the police report as soon as it’s available. You can usually get it from the local police department, sheriff’s office, or, in some states, online through the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website. 

The police report typically contains information about the accident, including the date, time, and location of the accident, all parties involved, and the police officers who responded to the call. Insurance companies rely heavily on this report to determine who caused the accident and who pays for the damages.

8. See a Doctor, Even If You Feel Fine

Get a doctor’s checkup after a car accident, even if you don’t think you were hurt in the accident. Some injuries, such as whiplash, concussions, or internal injuries, may not show symptoms for several hours to even days.

Seeking medical attention will ensure you receive treatment and provide a medical record close to the date of your accident, which can be important when submitting insurance claims or preparing for legal issues.

9. Get Your Vehicle Inspected and Repaired

Even if your vehicle’s exterior appears only scratched, consider having it examined by an experienced professional at an auto repair shop. Damage to structural components, including the frame, suspension, or other mechanical components of the vehicle, could also occur and may not be visible on the outside.

Before any repair work is done on your vehicle, ask the repair facility to provide you with a written repair estimate. Your insurance provider can suggest or approve many repair facilities; therefore, contact your insurance representative before scheduling repairs.

10. Keep Records of Everything

The simplest way to organize everything that happened during an accident is to have a single location, either in a folder or on a computer, for everything related to that accident. Keep important files such as: 

• Police report 
• Pictures and videos taken during the accident
• Repair estimates and repair receipts
• Medical records and medical bills 
• Rental car receipts, if rented 
• Emails, letters, and notes from the insurance company conversations

Having these items stored in one place allows you to quickly respond to inquiries, monitor your claim status, and locate important information later.

Should You Call the Police for a Minor Accident?

Yes, you should. Always call the police after your car is involved in an accident, even if it appears to be a relatively minor collision and there are no injuries or damage to either vehicle. Although the damage may appear minimal, a police report will provide documentation for both parties about what occurred. 

In some cases, the other party may dispute the details of what transpired after they have had time to think, or an individual involved in the collision may develop serious pain several hours or days after the crash. If that happens, it becomes your word against theirs, and your insurance company will have a much harder time defending you.

Having a police report will act as an unbiased, permanent record of exactly what happened, when it happened, and where it happened.

What Not to Do After a Car Accident

What you do immediately after a car accident is equally as important as what you don’t do after a car crash. Here are common mistakes to avoid after a car accident:

• Don’t admit fault or apologize at the scene.While many people may feel compelled to say “I’m sorry” immediately after an accident, these words may be misinterpreted by the opposing party or others as an admission of responsibility for the collision. Instead, be factual in all communications with the other driver, law enforcement, and your insurance provider.
• Don’t leave before you’re allowed to.Law enforcement officers will tell you when it is safe to leave. Leaving before release could cause legal issues or hinder your ability to process an insurance claim.
• Don’t accept a cash offer on the spot.A cash offer may seem to be the easiest way to get your car fixed. However, most people do not realize that vehicle damage or injuries caused during a car accident are often not immediately apparent. If you agree to receive compensation without reporting the accident to the insurer, it could end up costing you much more when repairs and medical treatment become necessary.
• Don’t give a recorded statement before you’re ready. An insurer will typically ask for a recorded statement shortly after the crash. It is completely acceptable to take some time to gather your thoughts, collect evidence of damage and injuries, and understand the full scope of the incident before providing a detailed statement.
• Don’t skip a medical evaluation. Even if you are feeling fine, go see a doctor. Medical evaluations can help prevent potential future problems, as some injuries, such as whiplash or internal injuries, do not show symptoms immediately. In addition, having a medical check creates a history of your condition, which will be important for filing an insurance or injury claim. 

How to File a Car Insurance Claim After an Accident

Filing a claim is basically asking your insurance company to help pay for the damage so you don’t have to cover it all out of your own pocket. Here’s how to file a car insurance claim.

Step 1: Contact Your Insurance Company

Report the accident as soon as you can. Most insurers allow you to start a claim online, through their mobile app, or over the phone.Even if you’re not sure you’ll need to file a claim, it’s a good idea to notify your insurance company that the accident happened.

Step 2: Gather Your Information

Gather all the information that you may need to provide to your insurance provider before filing a claim; this will include:

• The date, time, and place of the incident 
• Pictures taken at the scene of the incident and of the vehicle damage
• Any police reports made as a result of an incident 
• The name, phone number, insurance provider, and policy number of other drivers involved in the incident
• Phone numbers or contact details for any witnesses 
• A description of how the incident occurred

Step 3: Open the Claim

Almost every major insurance company has a mobile app or website where you can file your claim. Once logged in, click “File a Claim” and input and upload all gathered information. If you prefer to file the claim in person, you can call the toll-free number on the back of your insurance card. A representative will walk you through the process of filing your claim.

Step 4: Work with an Adjuster

Once your claim has been filed, your insurance provider will typically assign a claims adjuster to evaluate your claim. The claims adjuster reviews your claim specifics, inspects the damage to your vehicle, and examines repair quotes to make sure that the proposed work to be done meets the requirements of your policy.

Step 5: Get Your Vehicle Repaired

Once your claim is approved, your insurance company will explain the next steps. Depending on your policy, they may recommend a repair shop, approve the shop you choose, or explain how repair payments will be handled.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you have to report a car accident to insurance?

You should contact your auto insurance carrier about a car accident as quickly as possible. Most automobile insurers will require notification within 2 days of the incident.

The time frame for notifying your insurer is specified in your auto insurance contract. By contacting your insurance provider immediately about the accident, you give the insurer the opportunity to complete its investigation into the incident while the information is still current. Additionally, doing so reduces the likelihood of future processing delays.

What if the other driver left the scene?

If the other driver leaves the scene, call the police immediately to report a hit-and-run accident. Write down everything you can remember about the vehicle. Try to recall the car's color, make, model, and any parts of the license plate, and look around to see if any nearby businesses have security cameras that captured the crash. 

Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?

Not always. Most minor accidents are processed through an insurance claims process and do not require that you hire a lawyer.

You may, however, need to consult with a lawyer in cases where someone has been severely hurt, there is disagreement about how the accident occurred, your claim for insurance is denied, or when it appears that you are going to have to pay for something you feel you are not responsible for.

What if I don't notice injuries until days later?

See a doctor right away if you experience any pain or symptoms days after an accident, regardless of whether you felt good immediately after the crash. Injuries can sometimes show up hours or days after an accident.

Certain types of injuries, such as whiplash, head injuries, or soft tissue damage, often take some time before they begin to cause symptoms. The sooner you get medical treatment after experiencing symptoms from an injury, the better off you are. Seeking medical help also provides records for your claims.

Will my insurance rates go up after an accident that wasn't my fault?

It is unlikely that your insurance rate will increase because of an accident that isn't your fault. However, whether your insurance premium increases depends on many factors, including your insurance provider, the type of coverage you have, your driving record, and your state's insurance laws. In some states, it is legal for insurance companies to raise your premium by a small amount simply because you were involved in a car accident.