🚗 Road accident checklist

The scene comes first and takes minutes; the paperwork comes after and can take weeks. Do them in that order.

20 items

1. Check for injuries before anything elseCall 999 immediately if anyone's hurt. Don't move an injured person unless staying puts them in further danger.
2. Hazards on and the scene made safeGet off the carriageway if it's safe to, and get everyone behind a barrier on a motorway rather than standing near the cars.
3. Police called if anyone's injured, the road's blocked, or details won't be sharedOtherwise it's usually reported later by phone or online, not necessary from the roadside itself.
4. Warning triangle placed well behind the car, never on a motorwayNever walk back onto a motorway to place one — the risk of doing that outweighs the benefit.
5. Other driver's details exchanged
6. Name and address
7. Registration number
8. Insurance company and policy number
9. Witnesses' names and numbers takenThey rarely stay once traffic starts moving again — ask before anyone leaves the scene.
10. Photos taken of both vehicles, the road, and any damageFrom a few angles, and of the wider scene too — a single close-up rarely tells the whole story later.
11. Dashcam footage savedBefore it gets overwritten by the next journey — most loop after a fixed number of hours or miles.
12. Location noted preciselyA junction number, a marker post, or what3words — useful for the report and for anyone coming to help.
13. Own vehicle checked for anything unsafe to drive onA tyre, a light, or fluid leaking underneath — if in doubt, don't drive it.
14. Breakdown recovery called, if the car isn't driveableCarry the number written down, not just saved in a phone — see the breakdown kit checklist for the rest of what to keep in the car.
15. Insurer told as soon as possibleEven if a claim isn't planned — most policies require it, and a late report can be used against a payout later.
16. Own account of what happened written down that same dayDetail fades within hours, not days — write it while it's still accurate.
17. Medical attention sought for anything that doesn't feel rightWhiplash and shock both take hours to show properly — get checked even if nothing seems wrong at the scene.
18. Repair estimates gathered before agreeing to one garageAn insurer's approved garage isn't always the only option — check what the policy actually requires.
19. Courtesy car or alternative transport arrangedAsk the insurer directly what's included before assuming there's a gap to cover yourself.
20. Claim followed up in writingKeeps a record separate from a phone call that's easy for either side to remember differently.