Insurance & Liability · Driver Training VideoGathering Witness & Scene Info

Here's the truth nobody likes to say out loud: the outcome of a crash claim is often decided in the first fifteen minutes at the scene — before any lawyer, any adjuster, any judge ever gets involved. What you do or don't do right then follows you for years.

Step one, always: safety first

Get to a safe spot if the vehicle can still move, hazards on, check yourself and anyone else for injuries, and call 911 for anything beyond a fender-bender. Nothing below matters if someone's hurt and not getting help.

Step two: document before anything moves. Once vehicles get pulled off the road or towed, that evidence is gone.

Step three: witnesses disappear fast

People who saw it happen will often just get back in their car and leave once they think you don't need them. Don't let that happen. Get a name and a phone number in writing — on paper or in your phone — for anyone who saw any part of it, even if their account seems minor.

Step four: exchange information with the other driver — name, license number, insurance company and policy number, plate number. Stick to facts only. Don't discuss fault, don't apologize, and don't speculate about what happened, even to be polite.

Your company standard: call your safety department before you leave the scene — not after you've talked to the other driver's insurance company, not after you've signed anything. Get photos and written witness contact information every time, not just when it seems serious.

Fill out the accident report completely once you're clear of the scene, while the details are still fresh. The five minutes it takes to do this right can be the difference between a clean case and a costly one.