Steps After a Minor Car Accident, in Plain Words

Step 1 — Safety first

The NAIC says: “Remember, safety is the priority after a car collision.”

• Remain calm and assess the scene. Do not get out of your car if it is not safe to do so. (NAIC)
• Check for any injuries, and call for an ambulance if necessary. (Oklahoma Insurance Department)
• Call 911 if someone is injured. (NAIC) The Oklahoma Insurance Department says: call 911 if someone has a life threatening injury.
• If your car is drivable, move it out of traffic if you can do so safely. (NAIC)

Step 2 — Call the police and get the report

• Call the police and inform them of any injuries. (NAIC)
• If there’s no emergency, call the police directly. Make sure to obtain a police report. (Oklahoma Insurance Department)
• The Oklahoma Insurance Department also says: regardless of the circumstances, report the accident to the police.
• If the police are not dispatched, file an incident report. The NAIC says this may assist you with your claim.
• Ask the investigating officer how to obtain a copy of the police report. (Oklahoma Insurance Department)
• Write down the name, badge number, and contact information of the officer who comes to the accident. Ask the officer when and where to get the accident report and accident report number. (NAIC)
• If your car is damaged by a hit-and-run driver or is stolen, promptly call the police. (NAIC)

Step 3 — Exchange information

Exchange information with the other driver. From the NAIC and the Oklahoma Insurance Department, get:

• The other driver’s name, address, and phone number
• The other driver’s insurance company name and phone number — this information is on the proof-of-insurance card (NAIC)
• Contact information and auto insurance information from the other parties involved (Oklahoma Insurance Department)
• The make, model, and license plate number of all vehicles involved

Share the same information about yourself with the other driver. (NAIC)

If you can’t get the information above, write down the other driver’s driver’s license number and license plate number to give to your insurance company. (NAIC)

Service Oklahoma’s collision report form gives the same scene steps in short form: print your name and insurance information legibly, give your information to the other driver, and then receive their information.

Step 4 — Write it down and take photos

• Take photos of the accident scene, if possible. (Oklahoma Insurance Department)
• Get the other car’s make, model, year, and license plate number. (NAIC)
• Collect the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all passengers and witnesses. (Oklahoma Insurance Department)
• Get witnesses’ names and contact information. (NAIC)
• Write down the time, date, and exact location of the accident, with notes of skid marks, weather, and road conditions. Take a photo or sketch a diagram of the accident scene. (NAIC)

Step 5 — Tell your insurance company promptly

• Notify your insurance agent or company immediately. (Oklahoma Insurance Department)
• Contact your insurance company as soon as possible. (Oklahoma Insurance Department) To file a claim, call the phone number on your proof-of-insurance card as soon as possible. Many insurers also allow consumers to file claims on smart phone apps. (NAIC)
• It’s best to start the claims process as soon as possible, while the details of the accident are still fresh in your mind. (NAIC)
• When you call your insurance company or agent, have available the police or incident report, your insurance information, and a copy of the accident report that you created at the scene. (NAIC)
• Service Oklahoma’s form also says to contact their insurance agent and your insurance agent to report the collision and to file the proper claim forms.

Step 6 — Keep records of everything

• Take notes, including the name and contact information of the person you spoke with, during any conversations you have with insurance companies, claims adjusters or auto shops. (NAIC)
• Take notes and keep track of the dates of any conversations you have with your agent or adjuster. (NAIC)
• The insurance company will assign a claims adjuster. You should cooperate with the adjuster’s investigation of your claim. The adjuster may want to meet with you to inspect the damage. (NAIC)
• Start while the details are fresh: keep a copy of your current insurance card in the car, with registration and other important documents. (NAIC) The Oklahoma Insurance Department adds: make sure the identification card lists the phone numbers for your insurance company and agent.

Oklahoma law, in plain words

These points come from the Oklahoma Statutes, Title 47, read on the Oklahoma Legislature’s official site. They are general information only — not legal advice. Laws change, so check the current rule in Title 47 before you rely on it.

Stop and stay (§§ 10-102 and 10-103). If an accident results in a nonfatal injury to any person, the driver shall immediately stop at the scene or as close to it as possible, return to the scene, and remain there until the driver has fulfilled the requirements of Section 10-104. The same stop-and-remain rule is stated for an accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle which is driven or attended by any person. Every such stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.

Give information and render aid (§ 10-104). The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person, or damage to any vehicle which is driven or attended by any person, shall:

• Give his or her correct name, address, and registration number of the vehicle he or she is driving
• Upon request, exhibit his or her driver license and his or her security verification form to the person struck, or to the driver, occupant, or person attending any vehicle collided with
• Render to any person injured in such accident reasonable assistance, including carrying, or making arrangements for carrying, that person to a physician, surgeon, or hospital for medical or surgical treatment, if it is apparent that such treatment is necessary or if such carrying is requested by the injured person

Immediate notice when someone is injured or killed (§ 10-107). The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person shall immediately, by the quickest means of communication, give notice of the accident to the local police department if the accident occurs within a municipality, or to the office of the county sheriff or the nearest office of the State Highway Patrol, after complying with Section 10-104.

Written report in some cases (§ 10-108). Except for collisions occurring on private property, if a collision on a road, street, highway, or elsewhere in Oklahoma results in bodily injury or death, or it is apparent that damage to one vehicle or other property is in excess of $300, the operator shall forward a written report of the collision to the Department of Public Safety if settlement of the collision has not been made within six months after the date of the accident. If a settlement has been made, a report of the settlement must be made by the parties.

If your accident does not match the cases above, check the current rule in Title 47, Chapter 10, on the Oklahoma Legislature site, or ask Service Oklahoma or law enforcement which report applies.