What to do after a car accident

What to do after a car accident – immediate steps

1. Stop safely as soon as you can and switch off the engine. If you don’t stop after an accident, you could be charged with leaving the scene of an accident (more commonly known as a hit and run).

2. Turn on your hazard lights to let other drivers know there could be an obstruction or debris on the road.

3. Check everyone is okay. Call an ambulance if anyone needs urgent medical care. Try to stay as calm as possible. Avoid making rushed decisions or scrambling out of the car without knowing what’s happening around you – you could cause more harm.

4. Get out of the car carefully and look around. If someone is hurt, or there are vehicles blocking the road, use 999 to call the police and an ambulance.

5. Speak to any other drivers involved and exchange details. If they won’t give you their details, call the police on 101 at the scene. Don’t apologise or admit fault – it’s up to the police and your insurance providers to decide who’s liable. Don’t point the finger, either – getting into a fight with another driver at the side of the road isn’t going to help the situation.

6. Talk to any passengers or witnesses and ask for their details.

7. Take photos of any injuries and damage to your car. Make a note of the driving conditions and the time and date of the crash.

8. Call your insurance provider, either at the scene or as soon as you can. Even if the accident was minor, failing to notify your car insurance provider of an accident could invalidate your policy.

What to do after a car crash when I’m stuck on the hard shoulder

Being stuck on the hard shoulder is both frightening and dangerous, so you’ll need to keep your wits about you. Here’s what to do:

• Turn on your hazard lights

• Stop as close as you can to an emergency phone – there’s one every mile or so along the motorway

• Call the police as soon as possible and tell them your location

• Always leave your car from the passenger side, away from traffic

• Leave pets in the car, unless it’s an emergency or unsafe to do so.

What details should I exchange after an accident in the UK?

If you’re involved in an accident with another car, you’ll need to swap details with the other driver.

By law, you need to provide the following information if an accident involves damage or injury:

• Your name

• Your address

• Your vehicle registration number

• The owner’s name and address (if the vehicle is not yours)

You’re not legally required to provide your insurance or driving licence details after an accident, though the Association of British Insurers recommends you provide your insurance details if anyone is injured.

If you hit a parked car and the owner can’t be identified or you can’t leave your details, dial 101 (the non-emergency police number) and report the incident within 24 hours.

Remember, it’s better to be honest. If you don’t stop and someone reports you to the police, you could be charged with failing to stop after an accident.

Car accidents are stressful and scary, especially if there are injuries. But it’s important to stay as calm as possible. You’ll want to make sure everyone is okay, but you’ll also need to collect the necessary details for your insurance claim.

Your insurance claim may not be uppermost in your mind, so a list like this can help you make sure you have everything you need.

What other details should I record at the scene of a car accident?

Take photos of the accident scene, as well as any injuries. This will back up your insurance claim and could jog your memory if you forget anything.

Things happen quickly and you probably won’t remember every detail. So it’s vital to take notes and photos, along with witness contact details.

You may find it useful to sketch the position of the cars involved. Note down the driving conditions at the time of the crash, including anything unusual about the condition of the road, lighting in the area, and the weather.

Also, don’t forget to take note of the time and date of the accident.

Report the accident to the police

If you’ve exchanged details and there are no injuries or damages, you don’t always need to report the collision to the police.

However, you should call the police on 999 at the scene of the accident if:

• Anyone is injured (ask for an ambulance too, if necessary)

• There are vehicles or debris blocking the road

• Any of the other drivers involved are uninsured

• You suspect another driver doesn’t have a valid licence

• You believe any of the other drivers are under the influence of drugs or alcohol

• Other drivers try to leave the scene without giving their details

• The drivers involved are aggressive or threatening

• You think another driver deliberately caused the accident (perhaps in a ‘cash-for-crash’ scam, where a driver deliberately causes a crash so that they can make a fraudulent insurance claim).

If you don’t need an emergency response, you can report the incident to the police on the 101 helpline, either at the scene or within 24 hours of the accident.

If you need to inform the police and you fail to do so, you could be fined, given points on your licence, or even disqualified from driving.

Contact your insurance provider

Speaking to your insurance provider won’t be the first thing on your list of what to do when in a car accident, especially if people are hurt. But once everyone involved is safe and well, focus on sorting your insurance.

You should tell your insurance provider about the accident (even if you don’t want to make a claim) within a reasonable amount of time. The definition of ‘reasonable’ differs between insurance providers but can be anything between two days to a couple of weeks. Check your policy documents to be sure.

If you don’t report the accident within the stated time, it could invalidate your claim. Find out how accidents affect your car insurance.

There’s no point delaying telling your insurance provider – and if you leave it too late, you might not be able to claim at all.

Always speak to your insurance provider before having your car repaired. They might want you to use an approved garage, so using the one down the road may invalidate your claim. Or you may be charged an additional ‘non-approved repairer’ excess. Depending on your policy, you may or may not receive a courtesy car.

If you’re going to make a claim, your insurance provider will talk you through next steps. For more information, read our guide to the claims process.

Get a good deal on your car insurance

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