Accident scene evidence checklist

A road accident scene holds evidence that fades within minutes. Memories blur, skid marks wash away, and witnesses leave. This checklist tells you what to capture first, in an order that matches how quickly each piece disappears, so you do not lose what your claim may later need.

What this checklist does

This checklist turns a stressful, unfamiliar moment into a short list of concrete actions. Work through it once you are safe, skip anything that genuinely is not possible, and move to the next step.

The checklist to follow

First, while you are still at the scene

1. Check for injuries and move to safety before anything else.
2. Photograph the position of all vehicles before they are moved, from several angles.
3. Photograph number plates, damage, road markings and any relevant traffic signs.
4. Note the exact location: the road name, direction of travel and a nearby landmark.
5. Note the time and the weather and light conditions at that moment.
6. Exchange names, identity card numbers, phone numbers and vehicle registration numbers with the other driver.
7. Get the names and phone numbers of any independent witnesses.

Within the first day

1. Lodge a police report, generally within 24 hours of the accident.^[1]
2. Ask for a copy of the report, or note the report number.
3. Seek medical treatment even if the injury feels minor at first.
4. Write down your own account of what happened while it is still fresh.
5. Check whether a dashcam, nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera or a bystander’s phone captured the accident.

How this helps your claim

Photographs fix facts that memory later reshapes, and a witness who is easy to reach today may be impossible to find in a year. Accident scene evidence explains how these pieces are actually used once a claim starts. Dashcam footage explains why that recording matters even if you were not the one filming.

None of this needs to be perfect. A partial list, gathered calmly, is worth more than a complete one you never got round to because the moment felt too overwhelming to think clearly.

What to do next

Keep everything from this list together, on your phone and on paper, and do not delete photos even if the damage looks minor. The road accident claim process shows what happens with this evidence once you take the next step. See the notification timeline next for exactly when to tell the police and your insurer.