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A collision is stressful, but a clear order of actions helps: protect people, make the scene safer, exchange the required details, preserve evidence and follow up with police and your insurer.
Even a low-speed bump can leave a driver shaken. Do not start by arguing about blame or trying to move every vehicle. First check for injuries and immediate danger. Then deal with the legal and practical steps that apply to the circumstances.
1. Stop somewhere safe and check for injuries
You must stop after a collision that causes the kinds of damage or injury covered by the law. If your vehicle can be moved safely, stop in a place of relative safety rather than leaving it in a live lane. Switch on hazard lights where appropriate. On a motorway or other high-speed road, follow the Highway Code’s advice about finding a place of relative safety and getting away from moving traffic only when it is safe to do so.
Check whether anyone is hurt. Call 999 if someone is seriously injured, there is an immediate danger or emergency services are needed. Give the operator the road name, direction of travel, nearest junction or landmark and the number of people who may need help. Do not move an injured person from a vehicle unless they are in immediate danger. Do not put yourself in traffic to inspect damage.
2. Make the scene safer without creating another hazard
Follow police, traffic officer and emergency-service instructions. If it is safe, warn approaching traffic with hazard lights and move uninjured people to a place of relative safety. Avoid standing between vehicles or in a live lane. Do not try to clear motorway debris yourself; contact the emergency services. If you are unsure whether a vehicle can be moved, prioritize people and follow the instructions of responders.
Do not assume that a vehicle that looks drivable is safe to continue in. If a wheel, steering, lights or another safety-critical part may be damaged, arrange recovery or professional advice rather than driving it home.
3. Exchange the details the law requires
Highway Code rule 286 says that when a collision causes damage or injury to another person, vehicle, animal or property, you must stop and give your own name and address, the vehicle owner’s name and address, and your vehicle’s registration number to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask. The same core duties appear in section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Keep the exchange calm and factual. You can write down the other driver’s name, address, registration and the vehicle owner’s details if different. Note the insurer or policy details when available for the practical claim process, but do not argue about fault at the roadside. If details are not exchanged at the scene, rule 286 says to report the collision to police as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within 24 hours.
4. If someone was injured, check the extra insurance-reporting rule
There is an additional requirement when another person is injured. Under Highway Code rule 287, if you do not produce your insurance certificate at the time of the crash to a police officer or someone with reasonable grounds to request it, you must report the collision to police as soon as possible and within 24 hours, then produce the certificate within seven days at the police station nominated when you report it.
That is a specific rule about injury collisions and producing the certificate. It is separate from the basic stop-and-exchange-details duties. If you are unsure whether a rule applies to your situation, contact the police or obtain legal advice promptly rather than waiting for the deadline to pass.
5. If another driver leaves or the owner is absent
Do not chase a vehicle that drives away. If you can note its registration, make, colour, direction and the time without putting yourself at risk, record those details. If you cannot see the full registration, write down what you actually observed rather than filling in the gaps. Report the collision to police promptly using the appropriate route; if details were not exchanged, the 24-hour reporting rule applies. Call 999 if someone is injured or there is an immediate threat.
If you hit a parked car, wall, fence or other property and cannot find the owner, do not assume that leaving a note alone completes your legal obligations. Contact police as soon as reasonably practicable and follow their instructions. Take a photograph of the note and its location if you leave one as an additional practical step, but do not rely on it instead of reporting where the law requires a report.
6. Record what happened while details are fresh
Once everyone is safe, make a note of the time, exact location, direction of travel, weather, light, road surface, traffic signals and what happened immediately before impact. Record the sequence in your own words and distinguish what you saw from what another person told you.
Photograph vehicle positions, damage, road markings and any relevant signs only from a safe place. Do not step into traffic or block the road to get a picture. If there are witnesses, ask for their names and a way to contact them; do not pressure them to agree with your account. Keep police, recovery and insurer reference numbers together.
7. Protect original dash-cam footage
Loop recording can overwrite an unlocked file. As soon as it is safe, use the camera’s save or event-lock function, then copy the original file to another device or secure storage. Keep the full unedited recording, including the minutes before and after the impact. Note whether the camera clock is inaccurate and how far it differs from the actual time.
Send footage to police or your insurer through the channel they specify. Avoid uploading identifiable people, number plates or injured passengers to social media while facts are being checked. A public post can expose personal information and invite speculation; it is not a substitute for an official report or an insurance notification.
8. Tell your insurer and keep a simple record
GOV.UK says drivers should report an accident to their insurance company even if they do not plan to make a claim. Check your policy and contact the insurer as soon as you reasonably can. Give a factual account, the other party’s details if known, any police reference and the location of original footage. Keep copies of messages, estimates, recovery receipts and the names of people you spoke to.
If the vehicle may be unsafe, ask the insurer or recovery provider how to move it. Do not authorise repairs or dispose of damaged parts before checking what your insurer needs. If symptoms appear later, seek appropriate medical advice and record when they began.
A practical checklist
- Stop; move to relative safety if you can do so safely; switch on hazards where appropriate.
- Check people first. Call 999 for serious injury, immediate danger or urgent emergency help.
- Do not move injured people unless they face immediate danger; follow emergency-service instructions.
- Exchange names, addresses, vehicle owner details and registration as required.
- If details were not given at the scene, report promptly and within 24 hours. Check the extra rule if another person was injured and insurance was not produced.
- Do not chase a driver who leaves. Record only details you can safely and accurately observe.
- Save and back up the original dash-cam file, then notify your insurer even if you do not intend to claim.
For a fuller guide to reporting dash-cam evidence, see how to submit footage to UK police. If a driver threatens or follows you after a collision, use our road-rage safety guide. These are separate situations; use emergency services when anyone is at immediate risk.
Sources checked 26 October 2026
- The Highway Code, rules 283, 286 and 287.
- Road Traffic Act 1988, section 170: duty to stop, report and provide information.
- GOV.UK: vehicle insurance after an accident.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and procedure can depend on the facts. Report emergencies to 999 and seek advice from your insurer, police or a qualified adviser if you are unsure what applies.