What to do after a car or van accident in the UK

7 minute read · Last checked 16/10/2026

Step by step: staying safe, what the law says you must do, and how to deal with your insurer.

1. Stop and stay safe

You must stop if you're involved in an accident where someone else is injured, another vehicle or someone's property is damaged, or certain animals are hurt (such as a dog, horse, cow or sheep).

• Stop as soon as it's safe, put your hazard lights on and turn off the engine.
• If you're on a busy road or motorway, get yourself and any passengers somewhere safe, away from traffic.
• Stay calm. Don't argue about what happened.

2. Call for help if needed

Call 999 if anyone is hurt, if the road is blocked, or if it isn't safe. If your vehicle can't be driven, call your breakdown provider for recovery.

3. Exchange details

By law you must give your name and address, the vehicle owner's name and address (if it isn't yours, for example a company van) and the registration number to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask.

If anyone was injured, you must also show your insurance details. It's sensible to swap insurance details in any accident.

Make a note of the other driver's details too: name, phone number, address, registration, the make and colour of their vehicle, and their insurer.

4. When to tell the police

• If you couldn't exchange details at the scene (for example you hit a parked car and couldn't find the owner), report it to the police as soon as possible, and within 24 hours at the latest.
• If someone was injured and you didn't show your insurance at the scene, report it to the police within 24 hours. You may be asked to produce your insurance certificate within 7 days.
• If you suspect the other driver is uninsured, or they drove off without stopping, call the police.

5. Gather evidence

While it's fresh, and only when it's safe:

• Photos of both vehicles from every side, the damage up close, the other vehicle's number plate, and the wider scene: road layout, signs, weather and skid marks.
• Witnesses: names and phone numbers of anyone who saw it happen.
• Dashcam footage: save it before it's recorded over.
• Notes: time, place, speed, what happened, and what was said.

6. Tell your insurer

Most policies say you must tell your insurer about any accident as soon as possible, even if you don't plan to claim. Not telling them can affect your cover. Have your policy number ready and give them the details and evidence you've gathered.

Driving for work

If you were driving a company vehicle, tell your manager straight away. They'll usually deal with the insurer, and they'll need your report and photos.

With Motorlane Fleet, drivers have the insurer's claims line, policy number and a "details to exchange" screen on their phone, plus a step-by-step accident report that sends photos straight to their manager.

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