Car accident in Bathurst

The first few minutes matter more than anything that follows. Get everyone out of the traffic, check whether anybody is hurt, and call Triple Zero if there is any doubt about that — an ambulance you did not need is a much smaller problem than the reverse.

Once people are safe, the job is evidence. Photographs of where the vehicles ended up, before anything is moved, are worth more than any account written afterwards, because they cannot be argued with. The other driver’s name, registration and insurer are the details people most often leave without, and the ones that are hardest to get later.

New South Wales runs its own compulsory third party scheme with its own deadlines and its own regulator, and they genuinely differ between states — what applies in New South Wales is not what applies across the border. The New South Wales guide sets out the scheme, the reporting rules and the time limits, with links to the primary sources rather than our summary of them.

Compulsory third party cover in New South Wales

CTP insurance in NSW — the green slip — covers personal injury from a motor accident. The scheme is regulated by the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), which publishes how claims are made and what benefits are available.

Reporting the accident in New South Wales

The NSW Police Force sets out when a crash must be reported. Reporting is generally expected where someone is injured, a driver fails to stop or exchange details, or a vehicle has to be towed away.

New South Wales scheme and reporting detail last reviewed 10 September 2026. The full New South Wales guide carries the primary sources.

If your car cannot be driven, the tow is the decision with money attached. Read the authority to tow before signing it: it says where the vehicle is going and what you are being charged, and a holding yard you did not choose accrues storage daily. Where the car is repaired is a separate decision and usually yours to make.