Immediately after a car accident, it is easy to forget important details. You may be shaken, traffic may be building around you, and the other driver may want to leave quickly. So what information should you exchange after an accident?
Before anyone leaves the scene, make sure you have enough accurate information to identify the drivers, vehicles, owners, and insurance companies involved.
At a minimum, exchange:
- Full names and contact information
- Driver’s license information
- Vehicle registration information
- License plate numbers
- Insurance company and policy information
Do not rely on a verbal promise that someone will contact you later. Verify and document the information while everyone is still at the scene.
👉Download: Post Accident Checklist
First, make sure everyone is safe
Before exchanging information:
- Check yourself and your passengers for injuries.
- Call 911 if anyone may be injured or the accident creates an immediate danger.
- Move the vehicles out of traffic if they can be moved safely and local law permits it.
- Turn on your hazard lights.
- Remain at or near the accident scene until the required information has been exchanged.
Do not stand between vehicles or in an active traffic lane to take photographs. Your safety is more important than documenting the accident.
The essential information to exchange
1. Driver’s full name
Get the other driver’s full legal name exactly as it appears on the driver’s license.
Do not accept only a first name, nickname, social-media account, or handwritten name without verifying it against identification.
Also ask for:
- Current address
- Telephone number
- Email address
Confirm the telephone number by repeating it back. If possible, send a short text message at the scene so both drivers know the number was entered correctly.
2. Driver’s license information
Record or photograph:
- Driver’s full name
- Driver’s license number
- Issuing state
- License expiration date
Check whether the person driving matches the photograph and information on the license.
State requirements vary, but drivers are commonly required to provide license information after a reportable accident. For example, New York requires drivers involved in a property-damage crash to exchange their driver’s license, insurance, and vehicle-registration information. New York State DMV
Do not post a photograph of someone’s driver’s license online or share it with anyone who is not involved in handling the accident or claim.
3. Vehicle information
Record the following for every vehicle involved:
- Year
- Make
- Model
- Color
- License plate number
- State that issued the plate
- Vehicle identification number, or VIN
- Visible damage
Photograph the entire vehicle, not just the damaged area. Include the license plate in at least one picture.
The VIN can usually be seen through the lower driver’s side of the windshield. It may also appear on the registration or insurance card. Compare the VIN on the vehicle with the documents when possible.
Official Texas guidance recommends exchanging vehicle identification numbers and license plate numbers in addition to names, addresses, telephone numbers, insurance information, and driver’s license information. Texas Department of Transportation
4. Vehicle registration information
Ask to see the vehicle registration and record:
- Registered owner’s name
- Registered owner’s address
- License plate number
- Vehicle identification number
- Registration expiration date
The driver may not own the vehicle. It could belong to:
- A spouse or family member
- An employer
- A leasing company
- A rental-car company
- A government agency
- A friend
- A rideshare or delivery driver’s business
If the driver and registered owner are different people, get information for both. This can become important when determining which insurance policy applies.
5. Insurance information
Do not settle for the statement, “I have insurance.” Ask to see the insurance identification card and record:
- Insurance company name
- Policy number
- Named insured
- Policy effective and expiration dates
- Insurance company claims telephone number
- Vehicle listed on the card
- Insurance agent’s name and contact information, if shown
Photograph both sides of the insurance card if the other driver permits it. Make sure the information is readable before leaving.
An insurance card does not guarantee that the policy is currently active or that the driver is covered. The insurance company must verify coverage after the claim is reported.
6. Vehicle owner’s information
When the driver does not own the vehicle, obtain:
- Owner’s full name
- Address
- Telephone number
- Relationship between the owner and driver
If it is a commercial vehicle, also record:
- Company name
- Company address and telephone number
- Unit or fleet number
- U.S. Department of Transportation number, if displayed
- Employer or supervisor contact information
If it is a rental vehicle, record the rental company, rental agreement number, and the renter’s information.
7. Passenger information
Record the names and contact information of passengers in your vehicle.
You can ask the other driver for the names of their passengers, but they may not be required to provide personal information directly to you. Police officers investigating the accident can document the vehicle occupants.
Note where each passenger was sitting and whether anyone reported an injury or pain at the scene.
8. Witness information
Witnesses do not exchange insurance information, but their contact details can be extremely valuable.
Ask for each witness’s:
- Full name
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Home or business address, if they are willing to provide it
Ask briefly what they observed and where they were located. If they agree, record a short statement on your phone.
Do not pressure witnesses or tell them what you think happened. Ask open-ended questions such as, “Can you describe what you saw?”
Witnesses often leave before police arrive, so obtain their contact information as soon as it is safe.
👉Download: Post Accident Checklist
Information to collect about the accident
In addition to exchanging personal and insurance details, create your own record of the accident.
Document:
- Date and exact time
- Street, intersection, highway, or parking-lot location
- Direction each vehicle was traveling
- Traffic signals and road signs
- Lane markings
- Weather, lighting, and road conditions
- Vehicle positions
- Skid marks and debris
- Damage to guardrails, signs, buildings, or other property
- Nearby homes or businesses that may have security cameras
Take wide-angle photographs showing the entire scene and close-up pictures of the damage. Photograph all sides of every vehicle, even when some areas appear undamaged.
Should you photograph the other driver’s documents?
Photographing documents is often the fastest way to record information accurately, but handle those images carefully.
Before photographing a driver’s license, registration, or insurance card:
- Tell the other driver what you want to photograph.
- Make sure the document belongs to the driver or vehicle involved.
- Check that the image is readable.
- Store it securely.
- Share it only with the police, insurance company, attorney, or another authorized claim representative.
If the other person will not allow photographs, write down the information manually and ask the investigating officer to verify it.
You should not take possession of another person’s license or documents or prevent them from leaving by force.
What information should you not provide?
Exchange the information required to identify the drivers, vehicles, owners, and insurance coverage—but protect unrelated personal information.
You generally should not provide:
- Social Security number
- Bank or credit-card information
- Medical-record information
- Account passwords
- Photographs unrelated to the accident
- Information about your work schedule or travel plans
- Details about your family or household
- A recorded statement for the other driver’s insurance company at the scene
Be cautious if someone asks you to scan a QR code, open an unfamiliar link, download an app, or submit information to an unknown website.
What should you say about the accident?
Keep the conversation calm, brief, and factual.
You may explain:
- Which direction you were traveling
- Which lane you were in
- Where contact occurred
- Whether anyone needs medical help
Avoid arguing about responsibility or making statements such as:
- “It was all my fault.”
- “I’m fine.”
- “There’s hardly any damage.”
- “My insurance will pay for everything.”
- “We don’t need to report this.”
An apology can be misunderstood as an admission of fault. You can show concern without accepting responsibility by asking, “Is everyone okay?” or “Does anyone need an ambulance?”
What if the other driver refuses to exchange information?
Do not argue or attempt to physically stop the person.
Instead:
- Call the police.
- Photograph the vehicle and license plate.
- Record the vehicle’s make, model, color, and direction of travel.
- Note the driver’s appearance.
- Ask witnesses to remain or provide contact information.
- Save any dashcam footage.
- Write down exactly what the driver said or did.
If the driver leaves, treat the accident as a possible hit-and-run. Do not chase the vehicle.
What if the other driver has no insurance?
Call the police and document the situation. Do not accept cash or a promise of future payment as a substitute for collecting identifying information.
Notify your own insurance company promptly. Depending on your policy and state law, uninsured-motorist coverage, collision coverage, or another portion of your policy may apply.
Even if the driver shows an insurance card, the insurer will still need to confirm that the policy was active on the accident date.
What if the name on the insurance card does not match the driver?
This does not automatically mean there is no coverage. The vehicle may belong to a spouse, parent, employer, rental company, or another permitted owner.
Record:
- The driver’s information
- The registered owner’s information
- The named insured
- The policy number
- The reason the driver says they were using the vehicle
Give this information to the insurance company. Do not attempt to decide coverage at the scene.
What if you hit a parked vehicle?
Make a reasonable effort to locate the owner. If the owner cannot be found, contact the police or local law-enforcement agency for instructions.
Leaving only a note may not satisfy every state’s legal requirements. If instructed to leave information, include:
- Your name
- Your telephone number
- Your vehicle information
- Your insurance information
- A brief explanation of what happened
Photograph the damage, the parked vehicle’s license plate, the surrounding area, and the note after placing it securely.
New York, for example, instructs drivers who damage a parked vehicle or other property to locate the owner or contact police. New York State DMV
Do you still need to exchange information if police respond?
Yes. Do not assume that you will immediately receive everything from the police report.
Ask the officer for:
- Officer’s name
- Badge number
- Law-enforcement agency
- Report or incident number
- Instructions for obtaining the report
- Expected report availability date
The report may not be available for several days. You may need the other driver’s information sooner to begin an insurance claim or arrange repairs.
👉Download: Post Accident Checklist
Keep the information organized
Create a folder on your phone or computer for:
- Scene photographs
- Driver and insurance information
- Police-report details
- Witness information
- Tow receipts
- Rental-car records
- Medical documents
- Insurance correspondence
- Repair estimates
- Repair-shop invoices
- Scan and calibration reports
Keep original files instead of relying only on screenshots or images sent through text messages. Original photographs may contain useful time and location information.
A quick accident information checklist
Before leaving the scene, make sure you have:
- Other driver’s full name and contact information
- Driver’s license number and issuing state
- Insurance company and policy number
- Policy effective and expiration dates
- Vehicle owner’s name and contact information
- Vehicle year, make, model, color, and VIN
- License plate number and state
- Photographs of every vehicle and damaged area
- Wide photographs of the accident scene
- Witness names and telephone numbers
- Police agency and report number
- Tow-company information, if applicable
- Notes about the accident location and circumstances
The bottom line
After an accident, exchange enough information to identify every driver, vehicle, registered owner, and insurance policy involved.
Verify the information against the actual driver’s license, registration, and insurance card. Photograph the vehicles, documents, and accident scene when it is safe and appropriate. If the other driver refuses to cooperate, provides questionable information, or leaves the scene, call the police.
The few extra minutes you spend gathering accurate information can prevent days or weeks of difficulty when filing the insurance claim and arranging repairs.
Need help understanding your collision repair estimate?
FindCarRepair.com helps vehicle owners understand labor operations, parts choices, scans, calibrations, hidden damage, and questions to ask the body shop and insurance company.
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information and is not legal advice. Information-exchange and accident-reporting requirements vary by state and locality. Contact the appropriate law-enforcement agency or state motor-vehicle department for requirements applying to your accident.
