After-accident checklist and information form

What it is

In the minutes after a crash it is easy to forget something that matters later — a witness's number, the other car's plate, a photo of the intersection. This checklist walks through the steps in order, and the form beside it collects the details you exchange with the other driver and the facts your insurer will ask for.

How to use it

• Before you need it, open this page on your phone and save it to your home screen, or print the blank form and keep it in the glove box.
• At the scene, safety comes first: check for injuries and call 911 when anyone is hurt or the scene is dangerous. Then work down the steps and tick them off.
• Fill in the form as you go. Photograph the other driver's license, insurance card and plate as a backup.
• Afterwards, print the form, download it as a text file, or save it in this browser. Report the accident to your insurer promptly — your policy probably requires it — and keep your claim number with the form.

Privacy

The form never leaves your device. It is stored in your browser only when you press Save, and Erase removes it. Downloaded and printed copies are yours to keep safe: they contain other people's personal information.

Rules vary by state

States set their own requirements for reporting accidents to the police or the motor vehicle agency, often depending on injuries or the amount of damage. See do you need a police report after a car accident? and your state's guide. If the other driver leaves the scene or has no insurance, see hit-and-run accidents: how to file a claim and what to do after an accident with an uninsured driver.

Full guide: what to do after a car accident.