What to Do at the Scene of an Accident

After a collision, stop safely, check for injuries, and get emergency help before taking photographs or making insurance calls. If anyone is injured, may be injured, or there is immediate danger, call 911. The National 911 Program explains when and how to request emergency assistance.

Once people are safe, promptly check police-notification requirements, exchange information, record what you can, and contact your insurer. Required notification comes before photographs. Local requirements and responders' instructions take priority over roadside paperwork.

1. Stop safely and get emergency help

Check yourself and your passengers, and look for immediate hazards such as approaching traffic, fire, or a dangerous vehicle position. Turn on hazard lights if you can do so safely. The Georgia Department of Driver Services' crash guidance recommends stopping in a safe place and warning approaching motorists only without jeopardizing anyone's safety.

When calling 911, give your location, callback number, what happened, and any injuries or hazards you can describe. On a highway, identify the road, direction of travel, and a nearby exit or marker if known. Answer the call-taker's questions, follow instructions, and stay on the line until told to hang up, as the National 911 Program advises.

Do not move an injured person unless necessary to avoid immediate danger; seek professional help and follow the dispatcher's instructions. Georgia's guidance on aiding the injured warns that unskilled handling can worsen injuries. A person's reassurance that they are fine is not a medical assessment.

Property damage alone can trigger immediate police notification. For example, Florida's crash-notification statute includes damage criteria as well as injuries and deaths. If there is no emergency and you have not contacted police, promptly ask local law enforcement about notification and scene instructions. Do not wait for a repair estimate or assume no injuries means no report.

2. Reduce traffic exposure and give responders room

If there are no apparent injuries, the vehicles can be driven safely, and local rules or responders allow it, move to a nearby safe location out of travel lanes. Do not attempt to drive a vehicle that cannot be operated safely. Georgia's vehicle-moving guidance emphasizes whether movement would create further hazards; exact legal duties depend on where the crash happened.

Stay available to exchange information and follow reporting instructions. Ask the dispatcher or responding officer where people should wait if the location is dangerous. Avoid standing in traffic to inspect damage or get a better photo.

Give emergency crews working space. Do not delay treatment, authorized vehicle removal, or traffic clearance to complete this checklist. Photographs can wait when taking them would expose someone to danger or interfere with responders.

3. Exchange information from a safe location

Exchange the information required where the crash occurred. For the insurance record, gather the following for each involved vehicle when safe:

Record	Details to collect
Driver	Name, address, phone number, and any additional identification required locally.
Vehicle	License plate, make/model, and a useful description.
Insurance	Exact insurer name, policy number, and claims contact if available.
Witnesses and police	Witness names/contact details; agency, officer name, and report or incident number.

The Texas regulator's auto-claims guidance recommends exchanging contact, vehicle, and insurance details and obtaining witness and officer information. A photograph of an insurance card can help if it is safe and the other driver agrees. Provide your corresponding information, too.

If a driver leaves, give police the plate number and vehicle description you safely observed. Do not pursue them. If someone refuses to exchange information, ask police for assistance rather than escalating the confrontation.

If you hit an unattended car, try to locate its owner. Check local requirements for leaving contact details and notifying police before departing. Georgia's crash guidance illustrates that duties also apply when no other driver is present.

4. Record facts without taking new risks

From a safe position, photograph the vehicles, visible damage, license plates, and relevant surroundings. Street signs, traffic signals, lane layout, and road conditions may help describe the location. Write down the date, time, exact place, weather, and what you personally observed. These are records recommended by the Texas regulator's after-a-wreck checklist.

Keep your account factual. Distinguish what you saw from what someone else told you. If you do not know a speed, sequence, or other detail, say that rather than filling in the gap. This creates a clearer record for the people reviewing the crash.

Keep the original photographs and notes together. If safety prevents taking pictures, tell the insurer what happened and ask what other information would be useful. Complete documentation is less important than avoiding another injury.

5. Confirm reporting and towing instructions

Ask the responding agency how to obtain the crash report and whether you must submit a separate driver report. If no officer responds, ask local law enforcement or the relevant state motor-vehicle agency about the reporting process and deadline. Immediate police notification and later written reporting are different tasks. Use the requirements for the place where the collision occurred. An agreement between drivers to handle damage privately is not a substitute for required reports.

For towing, follow responders' clearance instructions. When a choice is available and it is safe to discuss arrangements, confirm who requested the truck, where the car is going, and the charges. Read documents before signing and get a receipt. The Texas regulator's towing guidance recommends these checks. Keep the destination and storage contact with your claim records.

6. Notify your insurer and keep one claim file

Report the collision promptly using the claims contact on your insurance card or the insurer's official website. Explain what happened and answer questions as thoroughly as you can. The Texas auto guide recommends early notification and notes that companies can have claim-filing deadlines.

Ask what to send now and how to provide a police report or other records when available. Save the claim number, adjuster's contact details, photographs, notes, repair estimates, towing/storage receipts, and relevant medical records or bills. Log conversations and requested follow-up documents.

Ask which coverages and deductibles apply, what repair steps the insurer needs, and whether towing, storage, or a rental is covered. Rental reimbursement depends on the policy and its limits, as NAIC's rental-claim guidance explains. Do not assume a particular expense will be reimbursed before checking.

Before your next trip, save the insurer's claims contact and keep proof of insurance accessible. Share this checklist with household drivers. For a separate review of your protection, explore NavaQuote auto insurance or request an auto policy comparison.