What to do immediately after a car accident
Reviewed by the Learn Injury Law editorial team
After a car accident, call 911 if anyone is injured, move out of traffic, and photograph the entire scene. Get the other driver's insurance information and the police report number. See a doctor within 24 hours — even without obvious symptoms — because injuries like whiplash and concussions commonly emerge hours later. Report to your insurance company within your policy's required window, typically 1–3 days.
Safety First — Then Assess
Get yourself and anyone else out of traffic immediately, then check for injuries — adrenaline masks pain, and what feels minor right now often becomes serious within hours.
The very first thing, if you're able and it's safe, is to get yourself and anyone else out of the flow of traffic. If your car is drivable and you're in a roadway or a dangerous spot, move it to the side. If you can't move it or you're hurt, stay put and call 911. Getting out of the flow of traffic reduces the risk of another car hitting you while you're standing around.
Once you're in a safer spot, check yourself for injuries. Adrenaline masks pain — injuries that feel minor in the moment become serious within hours. Check your head, look at your skin for cuts or bleeding, check your limbs for anything that won't move right, and check your torso for pain when you breathe. Don't convince yourself you're uninjured just because nothing hurts yet.
Ask anyone else who was in the car with you whether they're okay. If there's any question about injuries, call 911. Paramedics will document the injuries on the scene, which creates an official record that matters for your claim.
Call the Police — and Get the Report Number
A police report creates the only neutral, time-stamped record of the accident — it documents the other driver's insurance, the location, and the officer's observations before anyone has incentive to revise their account.
In most states, you're required by law to report accidents that meet certain thresholds. Even if you're not required to report it, you should. A police report creates an official, neutral record of the accident. It includes the other driver's insurance information, the location, the time, and the officer's observation of what happened. That report becomes your baseline.
Call 911 if anyone is injured or if there's significant damage. Call the non-emergency number if it's a minor accident with no injuries and you just need to report it and get a report number. When you call, give them the location and basic facts — two cars, no injuries, minor damage — and ask whether an officer will come to the scene or if you need to go to the station to file a report.
When the officer arrives, be straightforward about what happened. Explain the accident clearly — where you were, what you were doing, what you saw the other driver do. Stick to facts, not assumptions. Say: "The light was green, I proceeded through the intersection, and the other vehicle came from the left side and hit my driver's side door."
Ask the officer for the report number before they leave. Write it down. You'll need it to get the full report later and to file an insurance claim.
Document Everything While You're Still There
Your phone is the most important tool at the scene — photographs of both vehicles, the roadway, and traffic signals become permanent evidence that proves what happened before anything gets moved.
Start with both cars from multiple angles — the damage, the position they're in relative to each other, the roadway itself. If there's a traffic light, get a photo of it so there's a record of the timing. If there's a stop sign, get that too. Take photos of the accident scene from a few different vantage points — the view from where you were sitting, the view from the other driver's position, the wider view that shows the street layout. These photos become evidence, and they're valuable because they show the scene exactly as it was.
Then get the other driver's information. Ask for their name, phone number, email address, driver's license number, and license plate. Ask what insurance company they use and get their policy number. Write it down on your phone, in a note app, or on paper — actually, write it on paper too if you can. You want this information in multiple places.
If there are other people in either car, get their names and numbers. They're witnesses. If anyone was with the other driver, get their contact information. If there are witnesses who saw the accident but weren't involved, get their information as well. Ask them what they saw: "I see you were here when this happened. Did you see the accident?" Most people will tell you what they observed. Get their name, phone number, and a brief note of what they said.
Don't have long conversations with anyone about who was at fault. Keep conversations simple and factual. Get information, not opinions.
Insurance Claim — the Right Way to Do It
Report the accident to your insurance company within your policy's required timeframe — typically 1–3 days — with the police report number and the other driver's insurance information ready.
Call your insurance company as soon as you can. Your policy requires you to report accidents within a specific timeframe — often a few days. Have the police report number ready and the other driver's insurance information ready.
When you call, describe what happened straightforwardly: "I was heading north on Main Street, the light was green, and as I entered the intersection, a vehicle coming from the east entered the intersection and hit my car on the driver's side." That's it. Straightforward, factual, accurate.
If you're not sure about something — maybe you don't remember exactly which direction the other car came from — say that. "I believe the light was green, but I'm not 100% certain" is fine. You're not trying to convince anyone of anything; you're reporting what you remember. Your insurance company will investigate, talk to the other driver, get the police report, and build a picture based on all of that.
If the insurance company asks you to make a recorded statement, you can ask for some time to think about it. You can also ask an attorney before you do a recorded statement — this doesn't commit you to hiring someone. Your insurance company will also open a claim and assign it a number. Write that down. You'll use it to follow up on your claim status and authorize repairs.
Medical Attention — Even If You Feel Okay
See a doctor within 24 hours of the accident, regardless of how you feel — whiplash, concussions, and internal injuries routinely show no symptoms for hours or days, and a same-day medical record connects later symptoms directly to the accident.
Go get checked out by a doctor tonight or tomorrow. Even if you feel fine right now, don't wait a few days to see if symptoms develop. Whiplash, concussions, and internal injuries can feel minor or nonexistent in the first hours and then get worse. A doctor will examine you, document what you report, and create a medical record that shows you were evaluated immediately after the accident. That record matters both for your health and for your claim.
When you see the doctor, tell them exactly what happened. "I was in a car accident this afternoon. I was hit on the driver's side. I'm having some soreness in my neck and left shoulder." Be specific about what hurts and when it started. If you're not having pain but want to be checked out because you're concerned about a head injury or internal bleeding, say that. The doctor will take it seriously.
And if you feel fine? Still go. Getting cleared by a doctor is valuable because it creates a documented baseline. If symptoms develop later — which happens weeks or even months after an accident — that early medical evaluation shows you were monitored and that the timing of new symptoms connects to the accident.
Keep all of your medical records and receipts, even for things that seem minor. If you see your primary care doctor, go to urgent care, get X-rays, see a physical therapist — collect the records and bills. These become part of your documentation if your case moves forward.
The First Few Days — What Else Needs Your Attention
Get a repair estimate, arrange a rental car through your insurance, and start documenting every hour and dollar the accident costs you — these records become your damages calculation.
Your car is probably damaged. Contact a body shop or auto repair facility and get a repair estimate. You can have your insurance company's preferred shop handle it, or you can choose your own — most states allow you to pick the repair facility you want. The repair shop will provide an estimate, and that estimate goes to the insurance company's adjuster.
If your car isn't drivable, ask your insurance company about a rental car while yours is being repaired. Depending on your policy and your state's laws, they may cover rental car expenses, or the other driver's insurance may cover them. Don't assume you're paying out of pocket.
If you were cited by the police officer at the scene, or if you're unsure about traffic laws — like whether you actually had the right of way — don't panic. A citation from a police officer is not the same as a finding of fault in a civil case. Your insurance company and an attorney can help you understand what the citation means and how it affects your claim.
If you work or had obligations that day, document the time you spent dealing with the accident. If you were injured, you may be able to recover compensation for lost wages. Keep track of what you did and how long it took.
And if you're feeling shaken up, that's normal. You don't have to feel fine. Your nervous system has been through something. Be patient with yourself.
When to Talk to an Attorney
If your injuries go beyond minor soreness — broken bones, head injury, ongoing pain — or if the other driver's insurance is denying fault or lowballing you, an attorney changes the outcome.
Not every car accident requires an attorney. If you were hit by someone who was clearly at fault, both insurances cooperate, and you have minor injuries and minor damage, you'll probably sort this out without needing a lawyer. Your insurance company's claims adjuster will guide you through the process.
But there are situations where it helps to have someone who understands the system in your corner. If your injuries are more than minor — broken bones, significant cuts, head injury, ongoing pain — an attorney makes a real difference. Same if the other driver's insurance company is denying fault, offering you far less than your expenses, or dragging the process out. Same if there are multiple vehicles involved, if liability is unclear, or if you're dealing with a commercial vehicle like a truck or delivery van. These situations get complicated fast, and the insurance company has professionals handling their side. You deserve someone handling yours.
Most personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation. That conversation costs you nothing and helps you understand whether your situation needs legal help or whether you're on track to handle it yourself. If they take your case, they work on contingency — meaning they get paid a percentage of what they recover for you, and if they don't recover anything, you don't pay. That structure exists because it aligns their interests with yours.
If you do talk to an attorney, bring everything you've gathered: the police report number, the other driver's information, your photos, your medical records, and your insurance claim number. The more documentation you have, the faster they can assess your case.
Take It One Step at a Time
You don't have to do everything today. The immediate priorities are safety, medical attention, and getting the police report filed. The insurance call can happen tomorrow. The attorney consultation can happen next week. What matters is that you're moving through the steps and keeping records of everything as you go.
You were in a car accident. That's a stressful, disorienting experience, and it's reasonable to feel overwhelmed by the process that comes after. But the process is manageable. Each step builds on the last one. You document, you report, you get treated, you follow up. And if you need help along the way, help is available.
FAQ
How long do I have to file an insurance claim after a car accident?
Most policies require you to report the accident within 1–3 days, though the specific window depends on your insurer. File as soon as possible — delays give the insurance company grounds to question your claim or deny coverage. Have the police report number and the other driver's information ready when you call.
Should I accept the insurance company's first settlement offer?
The first offer from an insurance company is almost always lower than what your claim is worth. Insurance adjusters start low because most people accept without questioning it. If you have injuries requiring ongoing treatment, don't accept anything until you understand the full scope of your medical costs, lost wages, and recovery timeline. An attorney can evaluate whether an offer is fair.
What if the other driver doesn't have insurance?
Your own auto policy's uninsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries and damages when the other driver has no insurance. About 14% of drivers nationwide are uninsured. If you don't carry uninsured motorist coverage, your options narrow — you can sue the driver directly, but collecting is difficult if they lack assets. Check your policy now so you know what you're working with.
Do I need a police report if the accident was minor?
Yes. A police report creates a neutral, time-stamped record that protects you if the other driver later changes their story about what happened. Without it, the claim becomes your word against theirs. Even for minor fender-benders, call the non-emergency line and file a report.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault?
In most states, yes. The majority of states follow comparative negligence rules, which reduce your recovery by your percentage of fault rather than eliminating it. If you were 20% at fault, you recover 80% of your damages. A few states follow contributory negligence, which bars recovery if you're at fault at all. Check your state's rule — it matters.
Learn Injury Law is an educational resource. We do not provide legal advice and we are not a law firm. The information in this article is general in nature and may not apply to your specific situation. Laws regarding car accidents, insurance requirements, fault determination, and personal injury claims vary significantly by state. If you have been injured in a car accident, we encourage you to consult with a qualified personal injury attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.