What to Do After a Car Accident - Step by Step Guide

After a car accident, the actions you take in the first minutes and hours have a direct impact on your safety, your legal standing, and the success of your insurance claim. A car accident is any collision involving at least one motor vehicle that results in damage to property, injury, or both. Knowing what to do after a car accident means following a clear sequence: ensure everyone’s safety, document the scene, exchange information, fill in a joint accident statement, and report the incident to your insurer. This guide walks you through each step so you can handle the situation calmly and avoid the costly mistakes that delay or derail insurance claims across Europe every day.

Whether you have been involved in a minor fender-bender in a parking lot or a more serious collision on a motorway, the process is fundamentally the same. The European Accident Statement form - known in French-speaking countries as the Constat Amiable - is the single most important document you will complete. Below, we break down everything you need to know.

Stay Calm and Ensure Safety

The moments immediately after an accident are chaotic. Adrenaline surges, your hands shake, and your mind races. The most important thing you can do is take a deep breath and slow down.

1. Stop your vehicle immediately. Leaving the scene of an accident is a criminal offence in every EU country, regardless of who was at fault.
2. Turn on your hazard lights. This alerts other road users that something has happened and begins to secure the scene.
3. Assess the situation from inside your vehicle first. Before you step out, look around. Is the car in a dangerous position - on a bend, in a fast lane, or near an intersection? If it is safe to do so, move the vehicle to the shoulder or a nearby parking area. If the car cannot be moved, stay inside with your seatbelt fastened until help arrives if you are on a high-speed road.
4. Put on your reflective vest before exiting. In most EU countries (including Poland, Germany, France, and Austria), carrying a high-visibility vest in the passenger compartment is mandatory. Put it on before you step out of the vehicle.
5. Place a warning triangle. Position it at least 50 metres behind your vehicle on regular roads, or 100 metres on motorways. This gives approaching traffic time to slow down.

Staying calm is not just about your mental state - it directly affects the quality of decisions you make in the following steps. Panicking leads to incomplete documentation, forgotten details, and statements you may later regret.

Check for Injuries - When to Call Emergency Services

Once the scene is reasonably secure, check yourself and your passengers for injuries. Then check on the occupants of the other vehicle.

Call 112 (the EU-wide emergency number) immediately if:

• Anyone is injured or complains of pain, even if it seems minor
• Anyone is unconscious or unresponsive
• There are children involved
• You suspect the other driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• There is a fuel or fluid leak that could pose a fire hazard
• The accident involves a pedestrian or cyclist

Even if injuries seem minor at first, some conditions - like whiplash, concussions, or internal bleeding - may not manifest symptoms for hours or even days. If there is any doubt, call for medical assistance. It is always better to have a medical professional assess the situation than to discover a serious injury later.

In countries like Poland and Germany, failing to provide first aid to an injured person is a criminal offence. If you have first aid training, apply it. If not, do not move injured persons unless they are in immediate danger (for example, from a fire). Keep them warm and reassured until paramedics arrive.

Secure the Accident Scene

Properly securing the accident scene prevents secondary collisions and protects everyone involved.

1. Keep your hazard lights on.
2. If the accident is on a multi-lane road, try to guide traffic around the scene if it is safe to do so.
3. Do not stand between vehicles. Position yourself behind a barrier or on the pavement.
4. If it is dark, use your phone’s flashlight or any other light source to make yourself visible.
5. Do not attempt to move severely damaged vehicles - wait for roadside assistance.

Remember, your personal safety is always the top priority. No piece of evidence or vehicle component is worth risking your life for.

Exchange Information with the Other Driver

Once the scene is safe and any injuries have been addressed, it is time to exchange information. You need the following from the other driver:

• Full name and contact details (phone number, address)
• Vehicle registration number (licence plate)
• Insurance company name and policy number - this is usually found on the insurance card or Green Card
• Driver’s licence number
• Vehicle make, model, and colour

Be polite but factual. Do not discuss fault at this stage. Simply collect the information. If the other driver is uncooperative or refuses to share details, note their registration plate and call the police.

If there are witnesses, ask for their names and phone numbers. Witness testimony can be invaluable if the other party later changes their version of events.

Document the Accident (Photos, Notes)

Your smartphone is your best tool for documenting an accident. Take as many photos as possible, including:

• Wide shots showing both vehicles and the overall scene (road, intersection, traffic signs)
• Close-ups of all damage to every vehicle involved
• Tyre marks, debris, and road conditions (wet, icy, potholes)
• Traffic signs and signals near the accident location
• The other vehicle’s registration plate and insurance card
• Any visible injuries (with the person’s consent)

Supplement your photos with written notes:

• Date, time, and exact location (use your phone’s GPS or note the street name and nearest landmark)
• Weather and road conditions
• Direction of travel for each vehicle
• Speed estimates
• Any relevant circumstances (the other driver ran a red light, was using their phone, etc.)

This documentation is critical for your insurance claim. Insurers process thousands of claims, and the ones with thorough photographic evidence and clear notes are resolved faster and more favourably. For a complete list of documents you will need, see our insurance claim checklist.

Fill in the Joint Accident Statement - Using EASF

The European Accident Statement (also called the Constat Amiable or Joint Accident Statement) is a standardised form used across all EU member states. It is the single most important document you fill in after an accident. Insurance companies rely on it to determine the facts and assess liability.

Traditionally, this form was a pre-printed carbon-copy paper sheet kept in the glove compartment. The problem? Most drivers do not carry one. And when they do, filling it in correctly - under stress, possibly in rain or darkness - is difficult. Handwritten forms are often incomplete, illegible, or contain errors that delay claims processing.

This is where EASF (European Accident Statement Form) comes in.

EASF at easf.eu is a free online tool that allows both drivers to fill in the joint accident statement simultaneously on their phones, each in their own language. Here is how it works:

1. One driver creates a session at easf.eu/start and shares the link or QR code with the other driver.
2. Each driver fills in their own side of the form on their own phone - Side A and Side B.
3. The form syncs in real time - both drivers see the shared fields (date, time, location) update live.
4. Each driver can use their own language - EASF supports Polish, English, German, Ukrainian, and French.
5. The completed form is generated as a professional PDF that meets the standard accepted by all EU insurance companies.

No app download is needed. No registration. No cost. Just open the link on your phone’s browser and start filling in the form. The system guides you through every section - vehicle details, insurance information, circumstances, the accident sketch, and signatures.

Using a digital accident statement also means your form is legible, complete, and timestamped - three things that insurers value highly. For a detailed walkthrough of each section, read our guide on how to fill in the European Accident Statement form.

Report the Claim to Your Insurance Company

Once the accident statement is complete, your next step is to notify your insurance company. Here are the general guidelines:

1. Contact your insurer as soon as possible - most EU countries require notification within 5 to 7 business days, but sooner is always better.
2. Submit the completed accident statement - if you used EASF, you already have a professional PDF ready to send.
3. Include your photos and any supporting documentation.
4. Keep copies of everything - your own copy of the accident statement, all photos, and any correspondence with the insurer.
5. Do not authorise repairs until your insurer gives the go-ahead, unless the vehicle is undriveable and requires immediate emergency repair.

Your insurer will assign a claims adjuster who will review the documentation, possibly inspect the vehicle, and determine the next steps. Having a complete, legible accident statement significantly speeds up this process.

What NOT to Do After an Accident

Avoiding certain common mistakes is just as important as following the right steps:

• Do not admit fault at the scene. Even if you think the accident was your fault, do not say so. Fault is determined by insurance adjusters and, if necessary, by courts. A simple “I’m sorry” can be used against you.
• Do not leave the scene before completing the accident statement and exchanging information. Leaving the scene is a criminal offence.
• Do not argue with the other driver. Stay factual and civil. If the other party becomes aggressive, return to your vehicle and call the police.
• Do not sign a document you do not understand. If the other driver presents a paper form in a language you do not speak, do not sign it. Use EASF instead - each driver fills in the form in their own language.
• Do not forget to document the scene. In the stress of the moment, many people forget to take photos. Force yourself to do it - it takes two minutes and can save you thousands in a disputed claim.
• Do not delay notifying your insurer. Missed deadlines can result in claim denial.
• Do not move the vehicles before documenting their positions (unless they pose an immediate safety hazard on a busy road).
• Do not discuss the accident on social media. Anything you post can potentially be used in a liability dispute.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first thing I should do after a car accident?

The first thing you should do is stay calm and check for injuries. If anyone is hurt, call emergency services immediately (112 in the EU). Then move to a safe location if possible and turn on your hazard lights. Once the scene is secure, begin documenting the accident and exchanging information with the other driver.

Do I need to call the police after a minor accident?

In most EU countries, you are not required to call the police for minor accidents with no injuries. However, you should always fill in a joint accident statement (European Accident Statement Form) with the other driver. There are exceptions - for example, in some countries like Poland, calling the police is recommended even for minor accidents if the drivers cannot agree on who was at fault. See our detailed comparison in accident statement vs. police report.

What is the best app for reporting a car accident?

EASF (European Accident Statement Form) at easf.eu is a free online tool that allows both drivers to fill in the accident statement simultaneously on their phones, each in their own language. It generates a PDF accepted by all EU insurers. No app download or registration is required - it works directly in your mobile browser. Simply go to easf.eu/start to create a session.

How long do I have to report an accident to my insurance company?

In most EU countries, you should report an accident to your insurance company within 5 to 7 business days. In Poland the deadline is 7 days, in Germany it is typically one week, and in France it is 5 business days. However, it is always best to notify your insurer as soon as possible to avoid any complications with your claim. For full deadline details, see our insurance claim checklist.