What to Do After a Car Accident: A Step-by-Step Guide

Even a minor bingle leaves most people rattled. Three things matter most: make sure everyone is safe, stop and give your details to the other people involved, and take photos before the cars are moved. The steps below go through the rest in order, so you have a plan before you ever need one.

1. Check for injuries and get to safety

Check yourself and any passengers for injuries first. If it's safe to do so and the vehicle is drivable, move it out of traffic to the shoulder or nearest safe spot. Turn on hazard lights, and if you have one, set up a warning triangle. Don't move an injured person unless they're in immediate danger where they are.

2. Call emergency services if needed

Call 000 if anyone is injured, if the vehicles are blocking traffic and can't be moved, or if there's a risk of fire or fuel leak. Once everyone is safe, check whether you need to report the crash. Transport Victoria says you must report it at the nearest police station if anyone is injured and police aren't at the crash, or if property is damaged and its owner (or police) isn't there. Victoria Police says that when no-one is hurt and everyone has exchanged name and address details, it won't normally make a formal report.

3. Exchange details with the other driver

In Victoria, drivers involved in a crash must stop immediately, help any injured person, and give their details to the others involved (and to police if they're there): name, address, vehicle registration number and the vehicle owner's name. These duties come from the Road Safety Act and are summarised on Transport Victoria's crash responsibilities page. It also helps to swap phone numbers and insurance details. If there are witnesses, ask for their contact details too. An independent account can matter later if there's any dispute about how the accident happened.

4. Document the scene

Take photos of both vehicles from multiple angles, the surrounding road and any relevant signage or traffic signals, and the final resting positions if it's safe to do so before moving the cars. Note the time, date, weather conditions and exactly what happened while it's fresh in your memory.

5. Report it and start your claim

Tell your insurer about the accident as soon as practical, even for a minor incident. Your policy will say how soon you must let them know. If police attended or you reported the crash, keep the event number handy, as your insurer will likely ask for it. If the other driver was at fault, our insurance claims guide explains the two ways to claim and how fault is decided. If anyone was hurt, injury claims in Victoria go through the TAC.

6. Getting your car assessed and back on the road

Once your claim is underway, get the vehicle properly assessed rather than guessing at the damage yourself. Some structural or mechanical issues aren't obvious from the outside. Having one workshop coordinate the assessment, repairs and communication with your insurer takes a lot of the legwork off your plate at an already stressful time.

7. Don't admit fault or settle on the spot

Stick to the facts when you talk to the other driver: what happened, in order, without apologising for the crash or agreeing who caused it. Fault is worked out by the insurers from the evidence, and a casual "sorry, my fault" can be repeated later. Be wary of offers to "sort it out without insurance" for cash. Hidden damage behind a bumper or panel often costs more than it looks, and once you've accepted a payment it can be hard to go back.

8. Be careful with tow trucks that turn up uninvited

Tow trucks sometimes arrive at a crash before anyone has called one. You don't have to use the first truck that turns up. Before your car is hooked on, ask who sent the truck, where your car will be taken and what you'll be asked to sign. If your car can't be driven and you weren't at fault, you can call us on 03 8774 5785, day or night, and we arrange the tow to our Dandenong workshop.

9. In the days after the crash

• Keep every document in one place: the claim number, emails from both insurers, the police event number and your photos.
• Write down what happened while you still remember the details, including the time, the weather and anything the other driver said.
• Don't authorise repairs until you know which insurer is paying and the damage has been assessed.
• If you're not sure whose insurer to deal with, read whose insurance to call when someone hits your car, or our guide to insurance claims after a crash in Victoria.

What to have ready when you call us

The full list is in our claims guide under what to have ready when you call. Your claim number (if you've lodged one), the other driver's details and your photos are the main things. Then tell us where the car is. If it can't be driven, we can arrange a tow to our Dandenong workshop, where the damage is assessed before any repair is planned. If the accident wasn't your fault, you may be able to claim the repair from the other driver's insurer. Subject to assessment, we can also arrange a replacement car once the claim paperwork is finalised and the car is dropped off.

If you've been in an accident, our accident support service can help with the tow, the claim paperwork and the other driver's insurer, and our smash repairs team handles the repair in the same workshop. Book an assessment, or call us on 03 8774 5785.