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Find out what to do after you have a car accident in Australia in Savvy's comprehensive guide.
Fact checked
Having a traffic accident is one of the most stressful experiences one can have while driving, so it's important to know what steps to take if you find yourself in that situation. Savvy's helpful guide breaks down what you should do if you're involved in an incident on the road, as well as how your insurance may be able to cover you, so find out more with us today!
Stay calm
Focus on what’s happening right now. If you aren’t injured, count your blessings. Thoughts of the distant future or immediate past are not helpful – breathe deeply to tell yourself you aren’t in a panic situation.
Safety first
Turn on your hazard lights. This ensures the safety of those around you. If you can move your car, move it out of the roadway as soon as you can. Once you’re at a stop, turn off the engine and take the key out of the ignition. Exit the vehicle and check yourself thoroughly for injuries.
Check the other party for injuries if you’re in a position to do so. If required, call emergency services on 000. You should call the police if you suspect the influence of alcohol or narcotics were at play.
Take pictures and document the scene
Many car insurance providers now issue smartphone apps to policyholders to take pictures and describe the damage as part of a claim. Even if your insurance company doesn’t offer an app, take pictures noting the environment and location of the crash, including details on traffic, road surface and weather conditions.
Exchange details with all parties
Once you’ve gathered your evidence, you should exchange details with the other parties. Remember to write down their full name, address, phone number and email address, licence number, vehicle registration number and the make, model and colour of their vehicle and their insurance company.
Determine whether there are any witnesses
Have a look to see if there are any witnesses to the accident. If there are, be sure to take down their contact information, as they can be crucial in helping your insurance provider determine fault (if the other party doesn’t admit to it).
Check if your car is roadworthy
If you can drive your home or to your insurer’s assessment centre safely, do so. If not, call for a tow truck to assist you.
Contact your insurer
It’s important to contact your insurer as soon as possible so the details of the accident are still fresh in your memory. This will involve providing them with the information you’ve gathered from the other parties, photos taken and other witness contact information.
Depending on the type of insurance coverage you currently hold, you may be covered as the at-fault driver. Comprehensive car insurance policies include coverage for damage caused to your vehicle in certain at-fault incidents, such as covered collisions, as well as damage to the other party’s vehicle.
However, if you hold a third party car insurance policy, such as third party fire and theft or third party property damage cover, you can only be covered for damage caused to other vehicles or property, rather than your own.
If you’re the at-fault driver and don’t have any insurance coverage, you’ll have to pay the full expenses out of pocket. On the other hand, if you’re covered but not at fault and the other driver doesn’t have insurance, many companies will offer cover for damage to your vehicle if you’re able to identify the at-fault driver.
Select your car make and find out how much it may cost to insure, read helpful guides and compare quotes.
Disclaimer:
Savvy (ABN 78 660 493 194, ACR 541 339) provides readers with a variety of car insurance policies to compare. Savvy earns a commission from our partnered insurers each time a customer buys a car insurance policy via our website. All purchases are conducted via our partners’ websites. The integrity of our comparison service is unaffected by our partnerships with those businesses and our effort remains to bring further brands that do not already use our comparison service onboard.
Savvy’s comparison service includes selected products from a panel of trusted insurers and does not compare all products in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and doesn’t consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy. We always recommend readers to consult the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) of different policies before purchasing your car insurance.
Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.
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© Copyright 2024 Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd T/as Savvy. All Rights Reserved.
© Copyright 2024 Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd T/as Savvy. All Rights Reserved.
Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.
We’re partnered with lenders, insurers and other financial institutions who compensate us for business initiated through our website. We earn a commission each time a customer chooses or buys a product advertised on our site, which you can find out more about here, as well as in our credit guide for asset finance. It’s also crucial to read the terms and conditions, Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or credit guide of our partners before signing up for your chosen product. However, the compensation we receive doesn’t impact the content written and published on our website, as our writing team exercises full editorial independence.
For more information about us and how we conduct our business, you can read our privacy policy and terms of use.