What to capture at the accident scene
You are still at the scene and want to know what is actually worth recording.
If you are reading this at the scene, start here. Check that everyone is safe first, then work through the steps below in order. None of this needs to be fast or perfect, just done before people, vehicles and light all change.
What to do right now
- Move to safety if you are in the path of traffic, and switch on hazard lights.
- Check yourself and anyone with you for injuries before doing anything else.
- Photograph both vehicles from several angles, before anything is moved if it is safe to leave them.
- Photograph the road surface, any skid marks, debris and nearby signs or signals.
- Get the other driver’s name, phone number, identity card and vehicle registration.
- Ask anyone who saw it happen for their name and number before they leave.
Once these are done, you have already captured most of what a claim will later need.
What each piece of evidence is actually for
Photos of the vehicles and their damage show the direction and force of impact, which helps explain how the collision happened rather than leaving it to memory. Photos of the road and surroundings, such as a faded give-way sign or a pothole, can explain why the accident happened at all.
None of this decides fault by itself, but it gives your police report and any later discussion something concrete to point to, instead of two accounts that simply disagree.
When to move your vehicle, and when not to
If your vehicle is causing a hazard to other traffic and nobody is hurt, move it to the roadside and photograph from there instead. If it is not blocking anything, leaving it exactly where it stopped, at least until you have photographed it, gives a more accurate picture of how the accident happened.
There is no fixed rule for every situation, so use judgement. Safety for everyone on the road comes first, and the evidence can work around that.
If you have dashcam or phone video
Save it today rather than assuming it will still be there tomorrow, since many dashcams and phones overwrite older footage automatically. The full detail on doing this properly is in saving your dashcam and photo evidence.
After you leave the scene
Once you are safely away from the road, the same-day priorities are a police report, a medical check even if you feel fine, and writing down anything you remember while it is still fresh, since memory fades faster than most people expect. The complete sequence is set out in the first 24 hours after a crash and what to do after a road accident.
Everything you gather here becomes part of what supports the claim process later, so it is worth the few extra minutes now.
Common questions
Is it safe to take photos before moving my vehicle?
If your vehicle is a hazard to other traffic and everyone is unhurt, move it to the roadside first and photograph from there. If it is not blocking traffic, photograph the original positions before anything is moved.
How many photos are actually useful?
More than you think you need. A dozen or more covering different angles, distances and details costs nothing and is far better than realising later that one crucial angle was missed.
Should I take photos of my own injuries?
Yes, if you feel able to. Visible injuries such as bruising or cuts are easy to forget once they heal, and a timestamped photo from the day itself is hard to dispute later.
What if it is dark or raining when the accident happens?
Take what you can, even if the images are imperfect. Poor lighting or rain does not make the evidence worthless, and it also honestly records the conditions the accident happened in.
Do I need to photograph the other driver's documents?
A clear photo of their identity card, licence and vehicle registration, taken with their knowledge, is far more reliable than copying numbers down by hand under pressure.