Introduction
Almost all regular drivers will have seen examples of dangerous or poor driving over the last year. GOV.UK road safety open data shows that, in 2025, there were 101,525 reported road collisions involving injury and 127,883 casualties in Great Britain [3]. These figures cover police-reported injury collisions and do not include every road incident, near miss or damage-only accident.
None of this matters if you’ve been in an accident: especially if it isn’t your fault. Even a minor collision can leave you feeling distressed and unsure what the best course of action to take should be. Many people who may be able to recover their losses after a road accident simply don’t claim because the initial incident was too distressing, or they don’t know where to turn for car accident advice.
It may be worth getting advice on whether you have a valid claim, especially if you have vehicle damage, injury, loss of earnings, recovery costs, repair costs or replacement transport needs. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), £11.9 billion was paid out across 2.5 million motor insurance claims in 2025 [4]. Some drivers choose to use an accident management company rather than claiming directly through their own policy, particularly where another driver appears to be at fault. This may help avoid claiming against your own policy, but you should still check your policy terms and disclosure duties. Your premium or no-claims discount can still be affected depending on the circumstances.
If you are involved in a road traffic accident, your immediate rights and duties are simple: stop, make the scene safe, exchange details where required, report the accident if necessary, gather evidence, and get advice before agreeing to repairs, hire vehicles or settlement offers.
Car accident advice: What should I do if I’m in an accident?
If you’re in a road traffic accident, you may not be thinking clearly at first (understandably). As immediate car accident advice, focus on safety first and then on recording the details you may need later.
- Above all else, make sure you are safe. Switch your engine off, assess the situation and make sure you are not in immediate danger.
- Stop your car when it’s safe to do so. It’s illegal to drive away after a collision [5].
- Turn on your hazard lights.
- Check to see if you have any injuries first, then check your passengers. If it’s safe to do so, exit the vehicle.
- Call 999 if anyone is injured, the road is blocked, there is immediate danger, or you suspect a crime such as drunk driving or a hit-and-run. For non-emergency reporting, use the appropriate police non-emergency route.
What do I need to do at the scene?
Tempting as it may be to leave the scene of an accident as soon as you can, it’s important to collect some information about the incident while you are there.
- Make sure you exchange your details with the other people involved in the incident – and get theirs too. This should include; names, addresses and car registration numbers. You may also wish to exchange insurance details.
- Be less British. Many people tend to default to being polite after accidents, even when they didn’t make any mistakes. So don’t say sorry if you are not at fault and don’t agree that you made errors, as this could be used to dispute any claim you make in the future.
- If an accident causes injury or damage, section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires the driver to stop and, if asked by someone with reasonable grounds, provide their name and address, the vehicle owner’s details and the vehicle registration [6]. If those details are not provided at the scene, the accident must be reported to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and, in any case, within 24 hours.
What evidence do I need to gather?
While it might not always be possible to gather evidence about your traffic accident at the time, there are several things that you should record to support any future car accident claims you make.
- Write down everything you can remember about the accident. You don’t have to write an essay: bullet points are a good way to record what you can recall and this can help you establish a timeline too.
- Take photos and videos of the vehicle, scene of the accident and anything else that might indicate what happened.
- Make a note of the contact details of any witnesses and what they’ve reported about the incident.
- Note down other factors that may be relevant, like weather conditions, motorway restrictions and speed limits.
Regardless of whether you use an accident management company or you are making a car insurance claim, the more supporting information you have, the better, even if it’s just your recollections.
What are my rights if I’m in a road traffic accident?
When you are in a road traffic accident that’s not your fault, you could potentially be entitled to pursue two avenues for car accident claims. The first is for damage to your vehicle. Most people do this through their insurance company, through an accident claim specialist or by using the services of a solicitor.
If you’ve been injured, Claimsline’s personal injury guidance explains the options.
If you’re in an accident your legal rights depend on four legal principles:
- Drivers are expected to take reasonable care when using the road.
- Drivers must follow the traffic rules and must not drive recklessly. This includes situations where temporary traffic restrictions might be operating.
- You should be able to establish that the other person’s actions led to the damage. This can usually be achieved through official reports from the police and through information about the damage to your vehicle, along with any other supporting evidence.
- To support a claim, you will usually need evidence of what happened, who was at fault and what losses followed. This might include photographs, witness details, repair documents and insurer correspondence.
Should I make a car insurance claim or use an accident claims company?
Statistically, serious injuries and incidents remain relatively rare [7] and most motorists will not encounter an accident like this. Most car insurance claims are therefore in relation to damage to the vehicle.
Many people opt to make a claim after a car accident through their own insurance company, or through the insurance provider of the other driver. You may choose the latter option if you’ve incurred losses that aren’t covered by your insurance policy. These are known as ‘uninsured losses’ and cover things like; transportation of your vehicle, hire cars while repairs are underway, personal injuries, excess charges and loss of earnings. This does not mean the other party’s insurer will automatically pay, as the other party’s insurer may dispute some or all these aspects of a situation, particularly when you are making a ‘high value’ claim.
Even if you are not at fault, check your policy and tell your insurer about the accident if your policy requires it. A non-fault accident can still affect your claims history, no-claims discount and renewal price. No-claims discount schemes are not regulated financial activities in their own right, so insurers have some discretion over how they work. You may be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service if your insurer handled the claim unfairly or applied the policy incorrectly, but not usually about the design of the no-claims scheme itself.
Your premium may also increase even if you do not make a claim, once your insurer knows about the accident. This is because a road accident may be treated as a claimable incident and taken into account when assessing future risk, even where the accident was not your fault. Using an accident management company does not automatically protect your no-claims discount or stop premiums from changing.
For this reason, some people compare their options before deciding whether to claim through their own insurer, deal directly with the other driver’s insurer, use a solicitor, or seek support from an accident claims company. An accident management company can explain your options and, where appropriate and eligible, arrange support through working partners such as a recovery company, repairer or hire company. Where liability is accepted or established, the hire company or repairer seeks the charges from the at-fault insurer. The accident management company can also help you gather evidence and explain what losses may be recoverable, subject to liability and eligibility.
Need help deciding what to do after a road traffic accident?
After a road traffic accident, the right next step depends on what happened, who may be at fault, whether anyone was injured, and what support is needed with repairs, recovery or a replacement vehicle. Keeping clear evidence and getting guidance before agreeing to arrangements can help avoid problems later.
An accident management company such as Claimsline can help drivers understand their options after an accident, including accident reporting, repairs, recovery and replacement vehicle support where eligible. Where appropriate, Claimsline can arrange support through working partners such as a recovery company, repairer or hire company. Where liability is accepted or established, the hire company or repairer seeks the charges from the at-fault insurer. You may still need to notify your own insurer, depending on your policy terms. Claimsline is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activities (FRN 831196). This article is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- According to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) there were 42.4 million vehicles on the road - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/vehicle-licensing-statistics-january-to-march-2026/vehicle-licensing-statistics-january-to-march-2026
- Many of our cities are amongst the most congested in Europe - https://www.tomtom.com/traffic-index/ranking/
- GOV.UK road safety open data shows that, in 2025, there were 101,525 reported road collisions involving injury and 127,883 casualties in Great Britain - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/road-safety-open-data/
- According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), £11.9 billion was paid out across 2.5 million motor insurance claims in 2025 - https://www.abi.org.uk/media-hub/news-post/119-billion-paid-out-in-2025-to-support-motorists-across-25-million-claims
- It’s illegal to drive away after a collision - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170
- If an accident causes injury or damage, section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires the driver to stop and, if asked by someone with reasonable grounds, provide their name and address, the vehicle owner’s details and the vehicle registration - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170
- Statistically, serious injuries and incidents remain relatively rare - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-provisional-results-2025/reported-road-casualties-in-great-britain-provisional-estimates-2025
