QUICK ANSWER
Stop, make the scene as safe as you reasonably can, check for injuries, exchange the required details, keep evidence and tell your insurer promptly.
If anyone is seriously injured, in immediate danger, or the road is dangerously blocked, call 999 or 112 first.
At the scene: safety before paperwork
Stop as soon as it is safe. Switch off the engine, use hazard lights and move yourself and passengers away from live traffic where possible. Do not take photographs from a dangerous position.
Call 999 or 112 if there is serious injury, immediate danger, suspected serious driving offences, or a dangerous obstruction. For non-emergency police contact, follow the local force’s reporting route.
Exchange the information the law requires
Give your name, address and number plate to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask. If someone else owns the car, give their name and address too.
If anyone is injured, you must also provide insurance details. If the required details are not exchanged, report the crash to the police as soon as you reasonably can and within 24 hours.
Keep the conversation factual. Do not argue about fault or sign something you do not understand.
Create a reliable record
- Photograph vehicle positions, damage, number plates, road markings, signs and the wider scene.
- Record the date, time, precise location, weather and visibility.
- Ask witnesses for their names and contact details. Let them use their own words.
- Save dashcam files before they are overwritten.
- Note police, recovery and insurer reference numbers.
Write a short account in your own words while events are fresh. Mark anything uncertain instead of guessing.
Tell your insurer and protect the evidence
Tell your insurer even if you do not plan to claim. Your policy will usually require this. Ask what evidence it needs and keep the originals where you can. Keep a dated record of calls, decisions, storage, repairs and costs.
If the car may be unsafe, do not continue driving simply because visible damage looks minor. Arrange an appropriate inspection or recovery.
What can wait until you are safe
Urgent recovery may be needed to keep people safe. Other choices, such as repairs or car hire, can wait until you are safe.
Compare the offers from your insurer, the other driver’s insurer and any accident-management company. Check who provides the service, what you must sign and what you might have to pay if fault is disputed.
Sources and further help
- GOV.UK: vehicle insurance and accidents — stopping, exchanging details, reporting and notifying your insurer
- NHS: when to call 999 — emergency help
WANT TO DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED?
Need help after a non-fault accident?
Call to ask about recovery, repairs or a replacement car. Have the details you know ready. Ask who will help, what you must sign and what you might have to pay.