What to Do After a Car Accident: 12 Steps That Protect You (Any Country)

Quick answer: After a car accident, do things in this order: stop and make the scene safe, check for injuries and call the emergency number (911 in North America, 112 across Europe and most mobile phones worldwide, 999 in the UK, 000 in Australia), photograph everything before vehicles move, exchange names, plates and insurance details, get a police report number, and notify your insurer the same day. Never admit fault at the scene, never accept cash to "settle it", and get checked by a doctor even if you feel fine. Below is each step in detail, with the country differences that matter.

1. Stop, breathe, make the scene safe

Leaving the scene of a crash is a criminal offence almost everywhere, even a minor one. Stop, switch on hazard lights, and if the car can move and it is safe, pull to the shoulder or off the road. On a motorway or highway, get everyone behind the barrier and away from traffic; the most dangerous place after a crash is standing next to it. Put out a warning triangle if you have one (mandatory in most of Europe).

2. Check for injuries before anything else

Ask everyone, in every vehicle. Do not move anyone with neck or back pain unless there is fire or another immediate danger. If someone is unconscious, bleeding heavily or trapped, that is the emergency call, not a picture of the bumper.

3. Call the right emergency number

• 911 — United States, Canada, Mexico and most of the Americas
• 112 — the whole European Union, and it works from almost any GSM mobile phone anywhere in the world, even without a SIM or credit
• 999 — United Kingdom, Ireland (with 112), Hong Kong, Malaysia, Kenya and others
• 000 — Australia (112 from mobiles); 111 — New Zealand
• Pakistan 15 (police) / 1122 (rescue); India 112

The full list for 195 countries is on our emergency numbers page. In many countries police attendance is required by law for any injury crash; in the US and UK it is required if anyone is hurt or a vehicle is undriveable.

4. Photograph everything, then move the cars

Before the vehicles move, take wide shots showing the positions of all cars, the road, signs, signals and skid marks, then close-ups of every point of damage on every vehicle, the other car's number plate, and any debris. Photograph the other driver's licence and insurance card rather than copying them by hand. Time-stamped photos from the scene settle more disputes than any statement.

5. Exchange details, calmly

You need from every other driver: full name, phone, address, driving licence number, vehicle registration, make and model, and insurance company and policy number. Give the same. If the driver is not the owner, get the owner's details too. If the other driver refuses or drives off, note the plate and call the police immediately; that is now a hit-and-run.

6. Do not admit fault, and do not argue

"I'm sorry" is treated as an admission in many insurance systems and some courts. Stick to facts: what happened, in what order. Fault is decided by the police report, the insurers and, if needed, a court, not by whoever sounds most certain at the roadside. Equally, do not accept or offer cash to avoid reporting. Hidden damage and late-appearing injuries routinely cost far more than the roadside estimate.

7. Find witnesses now

Independent witnesses leave within minutes. Ask for a name and phone number and, if they are willing, a one-line voice memo of what they saw. Dashcam footage from other vehicles is worth asking for on the spot.

8. Get the police report number

Where police attend, write down the officer's name, badge number and the report or incident number; you will need it for every claim. Where they do not attend for minor crashes (common in the US for damage-only crashes, and in the UK where the online reporting form applies), file the report yourself within the legal window, usually 24 hours to a few days depending on the country.

9. Notify your insurer the same day

Most policies require "prompt" notification and some set a deadline of 24 to 72 hours. Report the facts even if you do not intend to claim; the other party might. If you are abroad, your insurer's emergency line and your rental company are your first calls, and the driving laws for that country page shows whether an International Driving Permit is required, which affects cover.

10. See a doctor, even if you feel fine

Whiplash, concussion and internal injuries commonly surface 24 to 72 hours later, when adrenaline wears off. A same-day medical record also links any injury to the crash for insurance purposes. Head impact, chest pain, numbness or abdominal pain are emergency-room visits, not wait-and-see.

11. Keep a file

Photos, the police number, the other party's details, medical notes, repair estimates, receipts for taxis or a hire car, and a short written account you make the same evening while it is fresh. Memory of the sequence of events fades within days.

12. Check the car before you drive it again

Even a low-speed impact can shift wheel alignment, damage airbag sensors or crack a tyre sidewall. Have it inspected, and run the plate or VIN through the car recall checker to see whether an open safety recall could have played a part.

Country differences that catch people out

• Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Italy: a warning triangle and high-visibility vest are compulsory equipment and fines apply if you are on the road without them.
• France and Italy: the "constat amiable" or CID form is a standard joint accident statement both drivers fill in at the scene; insurers expect it.
• United Arab Emirates: you must not move the vehicles before police arrive unless the crash is minor and in a "move to the side" zone; an official police report is required for any repair.
• India and Pakistan: an FIR (First Information Report) at the local police station is usually required for insurance claims involving injury.
• Australia and New Zealand: damage-only crashes generally do not require police attendance, but injury crashes must be reported within 24 hours.

The driving laws by country table lists the traffic side, alcohol limits and speed limits for 195 countries; our live accident map and accidents today show what is being reported right now. This guide is general information, not legal advice: for a serious crash, an injury or a dispute over fault, speak to a lawyer in the country where it happened.