What to do after a car accident
The things worth doing in the first twenty minutes, while the car is still where it stopped.
First, before anything else
- Check whether anyone is hurt. If there is any doubt at all, call 911.
- Get the vehicles out of a live traffic lane if they are drivable and it is safe to do so. Hazard lights on.
- If a vehicle is not drivable, stay out of the roadway while you wait.
Everything below matters less than those three.
Photograph more than you think you need
This is the part people regret. Once the cars are moved, the scene cannot be recreated, and photographs taken at the roadside settle disputes that would otherwise come down to two conflicting accounts.
- The damage to both vehicles, close up and from a few paces back
- Both vehicles in position, before anything is moved
- License plates, and the wider scene including signals, signage and lane markings
- The other driver’s license and insurance card
- Skid marks, debris and anything on the road surface
Exchange details, and say less
Swap names, phone numbers, insurers and policy numbers. Take the registration of the other vehicle as well as the driver’s details — they are not always the same person.
Be civil, and avoid discussing fault at the roadside. Apologising is a human reflex and it can be read later as an admission. Describe what happened factually to the police and to your insurer, and leave the conclusion to them.
Report it
Call your insurer the same day, even if you are not sure yet whether you will claim. Reporting an incident and making a claim are two different things, and late notification is a common reason for friction later.
If police attended, note the report number.
Then get the car looked at properly
Modern bumpers hide a great deal. A cover that looks lightly scuffed can have cracked absorbers, sheared mounting tabs or a displaced sensor behind it, and none of that is visible until the panel comes off.
Bring it in and we will look at it properly, in daylight, with the panel in front of us. If you are claiming, bring the claim number and we will handle the adjuster — how insurance claims work here.
Get a free written estimate
Free written estimate, and we will tell you honestly whether the damage is cosmetic or structural.
Call 480-933-5635 — — or bring the car to 3002 N Civic Center Plaza Ste B, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Get directions
Everything is done in house by our own I-CAR trained technicians, and the workmanship is covered by our lifetime warranty.