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What to do when you’re in a traffic accident

August 19, 2025

Do you really know what to do if you get into a traffic accident?

In the heat of the moment, you could panic or get confused, and forget important detail before leaving the scene.

“There are a lot of people who don’t know what to do,” California Highway Patrol Officer Dan Olivas of the Inland Division said.

Here’s what the CHP and Department of Motor Vehicles advise, it’s a good idea to refresh your memory.

First, stop. If anyone is injured or worse, call 9-1-1. If you don’t stop, you could be charged and convicted of hit-and-run.

If no one is hurt, move your vehicle out of traffic lanes, if possible, and to a safe place. Exit the freeway if possible. And try to stay calm.

Call the California Highway Patrol or the local police department if it’s more than a fender-bender, if you suspect the other driver was under the influence, or if one of the vehicles is too damaged to be driven away. You can also call the Auto Club, if you are a member, for a tow. Exchange driver’s license information, vehicle registration, and insurance information with the other driver or drivers involved.

If there are any witnesses, get their contact information. This is NOT the time to blame the other driver, get into an argument, or take blame for the crash. Let your insurance company or the police investigate and determine who is at fault. That’s their job, not yours.

Write down details of the accident, like the time of day, where it occurred, any weather condition details that might matter, and if anything significant led to the accident. Note anything else important like if the other driver was distracted (for instance, if you saw them on a cellphone or eating while driving), or made an illegal turn. If you don’t have paper or a pen, use the notes app on your cellphone to write this down.

Be sure to get that information from the other driver, if possible: the driver’s name, address, phone number and date of birth; their driver’s license number and state; their vehicle license plate number and state; their insurance company name, policy number and expiration date; the policy holder’s name and address; and the vehicle owner’s name and address if it’s different from the driver in the accident. If possible, take photographs of the damaged areas of the vehicle(s) with your phone and photograph anything else in the area that could be important.

You or your insurance agent must report the crash to the DMV within 10 days if anyone is injured or worse, or if it’s a non-injury accident with over $1,000 in damages, regardless of who caused the collision.

If you hit a parked vehicle and can’t find the owner, leave a note with all your contact information on their vehicle and report it to the police. If you hit an animal and it’s injured or killed, try to find the owner if you think it could be someone’s pet. If you can’t, call the police, CHP, or local animal shelter. Please don’t leave an injured animal at the scene without help. However, it’s best not to move it, a wounded animal can react with fear or pain and you can get hurt, especially if it’s a large animal.

Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@scng.com or call 951-368-9995.

Orange County Register

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What to do when you’re in a traffic accident

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