Home › What To Do After a Car Accident
The first 24 hours decide most of what follows — your safety, your insurance claim, and your legal options. Work through these steps in order.
Check yourself, then passengers, then others. If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately and don't move seriously injured people unless there's fire or traffic danger. If vehicles are drivable, move them out of the travel lane and turn on hazards.
A police report is the single most important document in any later dispute. The other driver who apologizes at the scene often tells a different story to their insurer. In many states you're legally required to report crashes involving injury or significant damage.
Your phone camera is your best witness. Capture:
See a doctor within 72 hours even if you feel okay. Adrenaline and shock mask pain; whiplash, concussions, and internal injuries commonly surface later. The medical record also ties your injuries to the crash — a gap in treatment is the first thing insurers use to deny claims. Full medical guide →
Report the crash promptly — most policies require it. Give facts only. You are not required to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement, and you shouldn't before reading our insurance claim guide.
Start a folder: photos, the police report number, medical records and bills, repair estimates, rental receipts, and a daily note of symptoms and missed work.
Property-damage-only fender benders usually don't need one. Injuries, disputed fault, an uninsured driver, or a commercial vehicle almost always do — and consultations are free. How to find legal help →
Yes, whenever possible. A police report is neutral documentation of the scene, the drivers, and initial statements. Many states legally require reporting any crash involving injury or significant property damage.
Decline. Hidden vehicle damage and late-appearing injuries routinely exceed roadside cash offers, and without a report or claim you have no recourse.
Insurance reporting deadlines can be as short as days; lawsuit deadlines (statutes of limitations) range roughly from 1 to 6 years depending on the state. Act early — evidence disappears fast.
If it is drivable and blocking traffic, yes — photograph positions first if it is safe to do so. If anyone is injured or the car is disabled, leave it and wait for police.