(8-Step Checklist You Can Actually Print & Keep in the Glovebox)

Stay calm & get safe first
Turn on hazards, pull off the road if you can, get everyone out of traffic. If the car’s drivable and blocking lanes, move it to the shoulder. Your life > everything else.

Check for injuries
Ask everyone in your car “you okay?” then check the other driver(s). If anyone looks hurt, is bleeding, or complaining of pain, call 911 right now. Don’t move seriously injured people unless the car is on fire.

Call the police
Even for a tiny fender-bender, get an official report. In most states you’re required to if damage is over $500-$1,000. Ask the officer for the report number before they leave.

Swap info, but keep talk short
Get: name, phone, license plate, insurance company & policy number from the other driver(s). Give yours too. Do NOT say “I’m sorry” or “it was my fault” — that can bite you later. Just stick to facts.

Take a ton of photos
All four sides of every car involved
Close-ups of damage
License plates
Skid marks / debris on the road
Traffic signs or signals
Injuries (if visible)
More pictures = better for claims.

Grab witnesses
If anyone saw it, ask for their name & number quick before they bounce. Write it down or snap a photo of their info.

Call your insurance company
Do it from the scene if you can. Most have 24/7 lines and apps now. Tell them exactly what happened (stick to facts again). They’ll open a claim number on the spot.

Get yourself home safe
If the car’s totaled or not drivable, arrange a tow (your policy might cover it). Don’t leave the car in the middle of the highway overnight — impound fees are brutal.

Print this, fold it, toss it in your glovebox. Takes 30 seconds to read when adrenaline is pumping and your brain goes blank. Been there, used my own copy last year — made the whole mess way less stressful. Stay safe out there.