What to Do After a Car Accident: A Step-by-Step Checklist | Otto
Otto Accident Guide · 2026

What to Do After
a Car Accident

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So what do you do first? Get safe, check for injuries, and start collecting evidence — in that order. Almost everything that goes wrong later traces back to something missed in the first hour. Below: the checklist at the scene, a guide to your specific situation, the next 72 hours, and what changes if the crash was your fault.

Otto Research Team
·
September 2026
·
Updated Quarterly
·
General Information — Not Legal Advice
01
At the Scene:
The Checklist
Seven steps, in order. The first two are about safety; the rest are about evidence that won't exist tomorrow.
1
Stop, and get out of traffic if you can
Hazard lights on. If the cars can be moved safely, move them to the shoulder. Never leave the scene — that turns any crash into a hit and run.
2
Check for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt
Including passengers and the other car. Adrenaline hides pain — "I'm fine" at the scene is often wrong a day later.
3
Exchange information
Name, phone, address, license, plate, registration and insurance for every driver. Photograph the insurance card and license rather than copying them by hand.
4
Photograph everything before the cars move further
Both vehicles from several angles, the plates, the road, signs and skid marks. Wide shots show position; close-ups show damage — you need both.
5
Get witness names and numbers
Anyone who stopped, and anyone working nearby. A phone number, not just a promise — witnesses are nearly impossible to find later.
6
Stick to facts — don't discuss fault
Be polite, but don't apologize or guess about speed. Fault gets decided later, from evidence — not from what was said in the moment.
7
Get a police report number
If officers come, get the report number and their agency. If they don't, you can usually file one yourself. Our police report guide covers when you need one.
02
What's Your
Situation?
What happens next depends on the details. Pick the one that fits.
Someone hit you
Someone hit my car
Their insurer, your claim, and your repair — step by step.
They drove off
Hit and run
Which of your own coverages pays, and what it costs you.
You weren't there
Parked car hit
Evidence steps when you came back to the damage.
Anyone was hurt
Do I need a lawyer?
The signals that make a free consultation worth it.
No insurance involved
Uninsured driver
Your options when one side has no coverage.
The damage is severe
Is it totaled?
How insurers decide, and how to check their number.
An offer arrived
Settlements
What you give up when you sign, and what it can cover.
You need a car
Rental cars
Who pays for the rental, and for how long.
Time has passed
Filing deadlines
How long you have, and the shorter clocks that run first.
03
The Next
72 Hours
Once you're home, four things matter. Each gets harder to do the longer you wait.
Day one
Tell your insurer
Most policies require prompt notice, even when you weren't at fault. Notifying isn't the same as filing a claim on your policy.
Within days
See a doctor if you felt anything
Whiplash and concussions often surface a day or two later. A same-week medical record ties an injury to the crash.
Before any shop starts
Get an independent repair number
A figure that doesn't come from an insurer or a shop bidding for the job. It's the anchor for every conversation that follows.
From now on
Keep every receipt and note
Towing, rideshares, rentals, missed work, every call with an adjuster. An undocumented cost is very hard to recover.
⚠️ Someone else caused it?
Then the claim runs against their insurer, and more than the repair may be on the table — a rental, the car's lost resale value, medical costs. Our guide to what to do after an accident that wasn't your fault covers it, including diminished value.

Start with the repair number.

Upload a photo of the damage. Otto returns a free repair cost range in about 30 seconds — independent of any insurer.

Get My Free Estimate →
04
If the Crash
Was Your Fault
Your own policy does the work. Four things change.
1
Your liability coverage pays them
Up to your limits
The other driver's damage and injuries are claimed against your policy. Refer them to your insurer rather than negotiating yourself.
2
Collision coverage pays you
Minus your deductible
Your own car is only covered if you carry collision. Liability alone never pays for your own vehicle.
3
Paying privately is risky
Even for small damage
Hidden damage can surface after a shop removes parts. Most policies still require you to report the accident, even if you pay yourself.
4
Fault may be shared
Not all or nothing
Insurers often split fault by percentage. Your evidence still matters — a smaller share of blame can change who pays for what.

Deciding whether to file? Compare the repair cost against your deductible first — our 2026 repair cost guide explains what drives the number.

05
Common
Questions
What should you do immediately after a car accident?
Stop and get to safety, check everyone for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt. Then exchange names, contact details, license, plate and insurance information with the other driver, photograph both vehicles and the scene, get witness contact details, and get a police report number if officers respond. Avoid discussing fault at the scene.
Should I call the police after a minor accident?
If anyone is injured, yes — call 911. For minor crashes with no injuries, police may not respond, but you can usually file a report online or at the station, and it is the first official record of what happened. Many states also require a separate report to the DMV above certain damage thresholds; in California, an SR-1 is due within 10 days if anyone was injured or damage exceeds $1,000.
Do I have to tell my insurance company about an accident that wasn't my fault?
Usually, yes. Most policies require you to report accidents promptly, whoever caused them. Notifying your insurer is not the same as filing a claim on your policy, and you can still claim against the at-fault driver's insurer.
Should I see a doctor after a car accident if I feel fine?
It is a good idea if you felt any impact or discomfort at all. Whiplash, concussions and soft-tissue injuries often surface a day or two later, and a medical record from the same week is what connects an injury to the crash.
What information should I get from the other driver?
Their name, phone number, address, driver's license number, license plate, vehicle registration, and insurance company and policy number. Photographing their insurance card and license is faster and more accurate than writing the details down. In California, drivers involved in a collision are required to exchange this information.
How soon should I get a repair estimate after an accident?
Before any repair work starts, and ideally before you speak at length with an adjuster. An independent estimate gives you your own figure to compare against the insurer's, and it helps you decide whether a claim on your own policy is worth filing compared with your deductible.
How long do I have to file a claim after a car accident?
Insurers expect prompt notice, often within days. The deadline to file a lawsuit is set by each state and is commonly two or three years — two years for personal injury in California. See our guide to filing deadlines for the shorter clocks that tend to run out first.