Crash Guide

Car accident checklist

Crash Guide Editorial TeamPublished 10 September 2026Last reviewed 10 September 2026General information only. Crash Guide is not a law firm, an insurer or a medical service.

Short answer

Is there a checklist for what to do after a car accident?

At the scene: check for injuries, make the area safe, exchange details, photograph everything and find witnesses. In the first 24 hours: contact your insurer, arrange towing or repairs if needed, and see a doctor if you have any symptoms. In the first week: lodge your claim, keep every receipt, and follow up anything the insurer has asked for.

At the scene

  1. Check everyone for injuries. Call 000 if anyone is hurt or in danger.
  2. Hazard lights on. Move vehicles out of live traffic only if it is safe and they are driveable.
  3. Photograph the positions of the vehicles before moving anything.
  4. Exchange names, phone numbers, addresses, licence numbers, registrations and insurers.
  5. Photograph damage, plates, signage, road markings and conditions.
  6. Get the name and mobile of any independent witness.
  7. Note the exact time, street, nearest intersection and direction you were travelling.
  8. If police attend, get the officer's name, station and the event or report number.

Before you leave the scene

  • Is your vehicle safe to drive? Check for fluid leaks, tyre damage, anything rubbing on a wheel, and whether your lights still work.
  • If it is not driveable, arrange a tow and note where the vehicle is being taken.
  • Retrieve anything you need from the vehicle — licence, keys, medication, child seat, work tools.
  • Do not sign anything the other driver or a tow operator puts in front of you without reading it.

Be careful with tow operators who arrive uninvited. Ask where your vehicle is being taken, what the storage costs are, and whether you are signing an authority to repair as well as an authority to tow. You are entitled to decide where your vehicle goes.

In the first 24 hours

  • Contact your insurer to report the accident.
  • See a doctor if you have any pain, stiffness, headache, nausea or dizziness — symptoms often appear the next morning.
  • Write down your account of what happened while you still remember the detail.
  • Back up your photos somewhere other than the phone that took them.
  • If you need a vehicle to keep working or get to appointments, start sorting that now rather than in a week.

In the first week

  • Lodge your claim, or confirm the other party has lodged theirs.
  • Get your repair quote, or attend the assessment your insurer arranges.
  • Keep every receipt — towing, storage, taxis, hire, medical, prescriptions.
  • Record any time you have missed at work.
  • Follow up anything your insurer asked for; unreturned paperwork is the most common cause of delay.

Common questions

How long do I have to lodge an insurance claim?

It depends on your policy and, for injury claims, on the scheme in your state or territory. Policies commonly require prompt notification, and injury schemes have their own time limits. Do not rely on a general rule — check your product disclosure statement and your state scheme, and lodge as early as you can.

What if I feel fine at the scene?

Say so honestly, but do not rule out injury. Soft tissue injuries commonly present hours or a day later. If symptoms appear, see a doctor and mention the accident, so the connection is recorded from the start.

Sources

Crash Guide checks state rules against primary government and regulator sources. If something below has changed, tell us and we will correct it.

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