Car Accident Checklist: What to Do and Document

Updated October 13, 2026 · 2 min read · 4 sources

Short answer

After a car accident, check for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt, move to safety if you can, and call the police. Exchange names, insurance and vehicle details, photograph the scene and damage, and get witness contacts. Do not admit fault. See a doctor promptly, notify your insurer, and keep every bill and record.

Keep this checklist in your glove box or on your phone. In the stress after a crash it is easy to forget a detail that matters later for an insurance claim.

Download the printable checklist (PDF): free, one or two pages, made to print and fill in by hand.

At the scene: safety first

  • ☐ Check yourself and passengers for injuries; call 911 if anyone is hurt
  • ☐ Turn on hazard lights; move vehicles out of traffic if it is safe and allowed
  • ☐ Call the police and ask for a report number
  • ☐ Stay at the scene until it is appropriate to leave

Information to exchange

  • ☐ Other driver's full name, phone number and address
  • ☐ Driver's license number and state
  • ☐ Insurance company name and policy number
  • ☐ Vehicle make, model, color and license plate
  • ☐ Owner's name if the driver does not own the vehicle
  • ☐ Responding officer's name, badge number and report number

Photos and notes

  • ☐ Damage to all vehicles, from several angles
  • ☐ The whole scene: road, signs, signals, skid marks, debris
  • ☐ Weather, lighting and road conditions
  • ☐ Visible injuries
  • ☐ Witness names and phone numbers
  • ☐ Your own notes: time, location, direction of travel, what happened

In the days after

  • ☐ See a doctor, even if you feel fine; some injuries appear later
  • ☐ Notify your insurance company promptly
  • ☐ Request a copy of the police report
  • ☐ Keep a folder of medical bills, repair estimates, rental receipts and missed-work records
  • ☐ Keep a short daily journal of pain and limits on activities
  • ☐ Do not sign releases or give recorded statements to the other insurer before getting advice

Tips

  • Do not apologize or say the accident was your fault at the scene; fault is decided later.
  • Avoid posting about the accident on social media.
  • Note the deadline to file a lawsuit in your state; look up your state's personal injury statute of limitations.

Official resources

This checklist is general information, not legal advice, and it is not a legal form. Rules and deadlines vary by state; a licensed attorney can tell you what applies to your situation. Find a lawyer near you.

Sources

  1. Insurance Information Institute: Knowing what to do after an auto accident
  2. AARP: What to do after a car accident
  3. Cornell Law School LII: Negligence
  4. Cornell Law School LII: Comparative negligence

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This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws differ by state and change over time; talk to a licensed attorney in your state about your situation.

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