What to do after a car accident

You should stop your vehicle, check for injuries, and make the scene safe. Then, exchange details with the other driver. In the UK, failing to stop or share your information is a criminal offence under the Road Traffic Act.

Once you’ve stopped, follow these steps to protect yourself legally and ensure everyone’s safety:

At-the-Scene Checklist

1. Put on your hazard lights to alert other drivers.
2. Switch off your engine and remove the keys.
3. Check for injuries—to yourself, passengers, and anyone else involved.
4. Move vehicles to a safe spot (if drivable and safe to do so), such as a lay-by or road shoulder.
5. Call 999 immediately if:
   • Someone is injured
   • There’s a danger to other road users
   • The scene is causing major obstruction
6. Exchange details calmly with the other driver:
   • Full name and address
   • Vehicle registration
   • Insurance details (if available)
7. Avoid admitting fault or apologising, as this can affect how liability is assessed later.
8. Record the scene if the other driver refuses to cooperate or leaves:
   • Note the vehicle’s registration, colour, make, and model
   • Take photos if safe to do so
   • Log the time, location, and direction of travel

After a car accident, you should collect clear photos of the scene, damage, and any relevant surroundings, along with witness contact details. This evidence protects you if the claim is disputed or fault is unclear.

Start with your phone. Take wide shots of the scene and close-ups of the damage to both vehicles. Photograph the position of the cars, road markings, traffic signs, skid marks, and anything that might have contributed—like a hidden junction or weather conditions.

Key details to document:

• Number plates (front and rear)
• Damage from multiple angles
• Position of vehicles relative to junctions or lanes
• Any visible injuries (if appropriate)
• Road layout, traffic lights, signage, and street names

Speak to any witnesses. If they’re willing, take down their full name, phone number, and a brief note on what they saw. This can be incredibly useful later, especially if the other driver disputes your version of events.

If you have a dashcam, save the footage immediately. Many devices overwrite files if left running too long after an incident.

Store all photos, footage, and notes in a secure place. Email them to yourself or save them to cloud storage—just in case your phone is damaged or replaced before the claim is settled.

Even if you feel fine immediately after a car accident, you may still need medical or legal support in the hours or days that follow. Injuries can emerge slowly, and liability may become disputed.

Whiplash, soft tissue damage, and even concussion often don’t show symptoms right away. If you experience stiffness, headaches, dizziness, or blurred vision in the hours after a crash, see a GP or call 111. If symptoms worsen, go straight to A&E.

Injury aside, legal support might be worth considering—especially if:

• You’ve been injured and the accident wasn’t your fault
• The other driver denies involvement or disputes fault
• The claim becomes complex or delayed
• Your car is written off and the settlement offer seems unfair

If you have legal expenses cover included in your policy, this may pay for solicitor assistance or help challenge liability.

Watch for these delayed symptoms:

• Neck and shoulder pain
• Bruising or swelling
• Numbness or tingling
• Sleep disruption or heightened anxiety

Accidents don’t always end at the roadside. Some need follow-up support—and that’s okay.

It’s completely normal to feel anxious, unsettled, or shaken after a car accident—even a minor one. Give yourself time to process the experience, and don’t ignore ongoing stress or panic behind the wheel.

After the initial shock wears off, some drivers find themselves jumpy around traffic, reluctant to get back behind the wheel, or reliving the moment of impact. These are signs of psychological trauma, and they’re more common than most people realise.

What helps:

• Talk to someone—whether it’s a friend, family member, or a qualified counsellor
• Don’t rush back into driving if it makes you anxious
• Take short, familiar routes at quiet times to rebuild confidence
• Avoid self-blame—accidents happen, and fault doesn’t define you

A young driver involved in their first accident—no injuries, but shaken—chooses to wait a few days before returning to the road. They take a short route with a family member for reassurance. That’s a responsible approach.

If anxiety lingers beyond a few weeks, or starts to affect your day-to-day life, it’s worth speaking to your GP. You may benefit from brief therapy, CBT, or stress-reduction techniques—especially if the crash was serious or involved injury.