Car accidents can happen to anyone – even the most careful drivers. Whether it’s a small scrape or a more serious collision, knowing what to do in a car accident is critical – not only for car insurance purposes, but also to help ensure the safety of everyone involved.
In 2023-24, more than 65,000 hospital admissions were the result of accidents on Australian roads.1 Thankfully, not every car accident results in injury, but even the smallest incident can be stressful.
Taking the time to understand the car accident process can help make things a little easier to handle if a collision or other road incident occurs.
What to do in a car accident: Step-by-step process
If you are involved in a car accident, there are a number of steps you can take immediately afterwards to help ensure everyone’s safety and that you gather the details you’re likely to need for the car accident claims process.
We’ve outlined some common steps below. You might also wish to download this car accident checklist to keep handy in your glove box.
Step 1: Assess the situation
Immediately after the accident, it’s normal to feel shaken up and upset. You might want to take a moment to compose yourself, turn on your hazard lights and calmly assess the situation.2
Step 2: Check everyone is OK
If someone at the scene needs urgent medical attention or the accident has created a dangerous environment, call 000 immediately.3
When calling 000, use your common sense and judgement. However, as a general rule, you should call emergency services if:
- There has been a death or injury that requires urgent medical attention
- The accident has created a hazardous environment, such as a fuel spill or fallen power lines.4
In certain circumstances, you should also call the non-urgent Police Assistance Line on 131 444.5 This is a national number that can be used in all states and territories and will connect you to your local police.
The criteria for reporting an accident to the police vary substantially depending on the state or territory you’re in, so it’s important to visit your local official transport site to understand the traffic incident rules that apply where you live.
However, as a guide, in New South Wales, for example, you should report the accident to the police if:2
- Someone is trapped, killed or injured
- Alcohol or drugs appear to be involved
- A driver fails to stop or exchange details
- Police need to direct traffic or deal with hazards
- A bus or truck needs to be removed from the scene by tow truck.2
Step 3: Move off the road
If it’s safe and possible to do so, carefully move your vehicle off the road,4 and turn the engine off to help prevent a fire from igniting.2 Before exiting your vehicle, check for any oncoming traffic.6
Step 4: Swap details related to the car accident
You will need to exchange details with the other parties involved. Christian McCarthy, Youi’s Head of Vehicle and Lifestyle Claims, and his team receive calls every day from customers who have been involved in car accidents. According to McCarthy, obtaining all the necessary information from the other drivers involved is a challenge – an oversight also revealed by Youi’s 2025 Under the Hood Report.
So, what details do you swap in a car accident?
“The key pieces of information to get are the other driver’s full name plus two of the following: their phone number, address, driver’s licence number or the registration number of the vehicle involved in the incident,” says McCarthy.
“Many people assume insurance companies can retrieve all the necessary details from a number plate or driver’s licence number, but that’s not the case, which can lead to disappointment. If your insurer confirms you weren’t at fault in a collision and you’ve provided enough information about the other driver, you may not have to pay an excess on your claim.”
If possible, McCarthy recommends also noting down the following additional details:
- The make and model of other vehicles involved
- Police or emergency services reference number if they attend the scene
- Time, date and location of accident
- Damage information
- Details about your trip (where you were travelling to and from)
- Road conditions at the time of the accident.
For your protection, it might be best not to discuss who’s at fault with the other parties at the scene. Let your insurer take care of that.
Step 5: Take photos
If it’s safe to do so, get some photos of the vehicles involved; try to capture number plates and any specific damage to the vehicles or other property as a result of the accident.7
McCarthy says that photos showing where the cars are located and what the damage is can be helpful in determining who is liable.
Step 6: Collect witness details
If the other party is unwilling to cooperate, write down or take a photo of their number plate. Don’t forget to take the details of anyone who may have witnessed the accident too. They may be able to share useful dashcam footage, pertaining to the incident.
“It’s really helpful to have witnesses for any accident where liability could be disputed,” says McCarthy.
“For example, if you’re hit in the rear at the traffic lights, a witness may not be necessary; but if your car is hit in an intersection and the traffic lights are a point of contention, then a witness could be invaluable.”
Do I need to report minor accidents to the police?
In most states and territories, minor accidents may not be required to be reported to the police. You must still stop at the scene and provide your details to the other driver. This is the case in NSW,2 Queensland,4 Western Australia,8 Tasmania,9 Victoria10 and the Northern Territory.11
In South Australia12 and the Australian Capital Territory13 however, you must report any crash – even if no one was injured, all parties exchanged details, no vehicles were towed and the police did not attend.
What’s the process for car accident claims?
There are a handful of steps involved in the insurance claims process, and it’s always best to notify your insurer of any incidents as soon as practically possible after an accident. Claim lodgement cut-offs differ depending on the type of car insurance and the insurers themselves, so it could be worth checking your product disclosure statement (PDS) to see how long you have to lodge a claim.
When you contact your insurer to lodge a claim, they should be able to talk you through the next steps and help you figure out the best course of action depending on the amount of damage and the type of insurance cover you have.
What if you’re not at fault?
If you have Comprehensive Insurance, the car accident claims process is similar however their can be addtional information required to process the claim further in the comparison of if you're at fault or not at fault, says McCarthy.
“The difference can be whether you’ll have to pay an excess,” he explains. An excess is the initial amount you agree to contribute to a claim — it’s part of your insurance policy terms.
“An excess isn’t only about whether someone’s at fault; it’s about whether your insurer can recover the costs from the other party.
“As the customer is responsible for the excess, the only way to avoid it is if we’re confident we can recover that money. To begin that process, we need to confirm who was at fault and have the other party’s details.”
What does Compulsory Third Party insurance cover?
Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance provides financial protection for drivers against injury or death caused to third parties in a car accident, but it does not cover damage to vehicles or property.14
Drivers across all Australian states and territories must have CTP insurance at a minimum to legally drive.14
Youi offers CTP insurance in SA and NSW (where it’s known as a CTP Green Slip).
The time limit for making a personal injury claim under CTP insurance differs depending on which state or territory your car is registered in.
It also depends on whether there’s a single CTP provider and if the state operates under a no-fault scheme, such as in Victoria,15 and NSW16. In these states, accident victims may be eligible to receive compensation regardless of who was at fault in the accident.
While any crash can be incredibly stressful, hopefully the information above helps you feel a little more confident that you’ll know what to do in a car accident, and in navigating the insurance claims process.
If you experience a car accident and you’re insured with Youi, our dedicated claims advisors are available to help lodge your claim so you can get back on the road as soon as possible. Just call 13 9684 if you would like to speak to an advisor directly.
Note: Information in this article is relevant as of October 2025 and by its nature will change over time. Check relevant Government websites for updates if this information is important to you.
1 Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Injury in Australia: Transport accidents, June 2025
2 Source: NSW Government – What to do at a road crash
3 Source: healthdirect – Calling triple zero (000), September 2023
4 Source: Qld Police – Traffic Crash FAQs, June 2025
5 Source: Australian Federal Police – Contact us
6 Source: The University of Queensland – Breakdown Safety
7 Source: Legal Aid NSW – Evidence
8 Source: WA Government – Report a traffic crash, October 2025
9 Source: Tas Legal Aid – Motor Vehicle Crash – Property Damage
10 Source: Vic Legal Aid – Driving and accidents, September 2025
11 Source: LawInfo NT – I had a car accident. What do I do?
12 Source: SA Police – Report a crash
13 Source: ACT Policing – Report a collision
14 Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission – About CTP insurance, November 2024
15 Source: Transport Accident Commission – What is a TAC claim?
16 Source: NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority – Benefits for injured people, December 2024
