Step 1. Stop and make it safe
You are legally required to stop after any accident involving another vehicle, an animal or a person. If the car is driveable and it is safe to do so, move it out of the flow of traffic. Switch on your hazard lights. If anyone is injured, call 999 before anything else.
Do not attempt to move anyone who is hurt unless they are in immediate danger.
Step 2. Exchange details
You are required by law to exchange details with anyone involved in the accident. Collect:
- Name, address and phone number
- Registration number and insurer
- Whether they own the vehicle
Step 3. Gather evidence
Photograph the scene before anything is moved, both vehicles, the damage, the road, and any relevant signs or markings. Note the time, exact location and weather conditions. Take the contact details of any witnesses.
Dash cams and non-fault accidents · How to prove fault.
Step 4. Don’t admit fault
Do not say anything at the scene that could be taken as accepting responsibility, even if you believe the situation is straightforward. A full assessment of what happened often reveals information that was not apparent at the time. Let the facts be gathered before any position is taken.
The same applies if the other driver or their insurer contacts you in the days that follow.
Step 5. Call us before you call your insurer
If the accident was not your fault, call us before you notify your insurer. We can confirm on that first call whether your situation qualifies for the non-fault route: no excess, nothing on your policy, and a like-for-like replacement car.
The other driver’s insurer may contact you quickly after the accident. You do not have to discuss the claim with them.
If it was a minor accident
Even minor accidents should be documented. Small visible damage can conceal more significant structural problems, and the effects of an impact are not always apparent at the scene. Gathering information costs nothing and protects you if the other driver’s account later differs from yours.