What to do after a car accident
The steps at the scene and in the days after, with a printable checklist and a free police report request letter.
A car crash is stressful, and the first hours matter. What you do at the scene and in the next few days can protect your health, your right to be paid and your driving record. This guide walks through the steps in order. The printable checklist below fits in a glove box, and every state page has that state's own rules.
Right after the crash
- Stop. Leaving the scene of a crash you were involved in is a crime in every state, even when no one seems hurt.
- Get safe. Turn on your hazard lights. If the cars can be moved and no one is hurt, move out of traffic. If not, stay buckled in or stand well away from the road.
- Check for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt, the road is blocked, a driver seems impaired or someone leaves.
- Don't argue about fault. Stick to facts. Who caused the crash is decided later, often by insurers or a court, using your state's rules.
Report the crash when your state requires it
Every state requires a report when someone is hurt or killed. Most also require one when property damage passes a dollar amount. In our 50 state guides, the property damage amount that requires a report runs from $300 in Oklahoma to $4,000 in North Dakota. Some states also want a written report from you, not just from the police, within a few days: for example Iowa (3 days), Oregon (3 days) and Vermont (3 days). See every state in the reporting requirements table.
Exchange information and collect evidence
Get each driver's name, phone number, address, driver's license number, license plate and insurance company with the policy number. Write down the make, model and color of each vehicle and, if the driver isn't the owner, the owner's name. Take photos of every vehicle from several sides, the plates, the damage, the road, traffic signs and lights, skid marks and any injuries. Ask witnesses for their names and phone numbers. Before you forget, write down the time, the place, the weather and what happened.
Get the police report
If police came, ask the officer for the report or case number and how to get a copy. Insurers often ask for it. In 33 of our 50 state guides, at least some crash reports can be ordered online. Where there is no online way, or the report comes from a city police department, you can ask by mail: the free letter below writes the request for you. Each state page explains where to get the report and what it costs, where our data says so.
Tell your insurer
Most policies require you to tell your own insurer about a crash promptly, even if it wasn't your fault. Which insurer pays for what depends on your state's system. In a fault (tort) state, the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage. In a no-fault state, such as Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan and Minnesota, your own personal injury protection (PIP) pays your first medical bills and lost income whoever caused the crash, often with short deadlines to file. Compare the systems in the no-fault states table, and read how to file a car insurance claim.
See a doctor and keep records
Some injuries, such as whiplash or a concussion, show up hours or days later. If you feel any pain, get checked, and tell the doctor you were in a crash. Keep every bill, receipt, repair estimate, rental car invoice and letter from an insurer in one folder. Write down dates you missed work. Don't sign a release or accept a payment until you know what it covers: a release usually ends the claim.
Watch the deadlines
Every state limits how long you have to sue after a crash. This is the statute of limitations, and an insurance claim does not stop it. In our guides, the deadline to sue for an injury runs from 1 year in Tennessee to 6 years in Maine, Minnesota and North Dakota; 2 years is the most common, in 25 states. Claims against a city, county or state agency often need a written notice much sooner. Use the deadline calculator or see the deadlines table.
Step by step
- Stop, get safe and call 911 if anyone is hurt.
- Exchange information, take photos and get witness names.
- Report the crash to the police or the state when the law requires it.
- Tell your insurer and get a claim number.
- Get the police report and see a doctor if you feel any pain.
- Keep every record and note your state's deadlines.
First 24 hours checklist
Tick the boxes as you go, or print the list and keep it in your glove box.
Safety first
Call for help
Exchange information
Photos and witnesses
Report the crash
Choose your state above to see when you must report a crash there.
Insurance and health
General safety and information steps, not legal advice.
Free police report request letter
Use this when your state or the police department has no online way to order the report, or when you prefer to ask by mail. Fill it in, then download it as PDF or Word (or copy it).