Evidence to take from the scene of an accident

Following an accident, you may need to make an insurance claim and/or determine liability. There are a few things you can do at the scene of the accident to make this process easier.

• Vehicle information – Make sure to note the registration, make and model of all vehicles involved.
• Driver and witness information – You should take the details of any drivers and witnesses. Impartial witness statements will be extremely helpful when it comes to confirming who was at fault for causing the collision. If the driver(s) is not the registered owner of the vehicle involved, we recommend also taking the details of the owner where possible.
• Insurance information – At the very least, we recommend taking the insurance provider and policy number for all drivers/ vehicles involved. If any parties involved do not have valid insurance, this should be reported to the police.
• Accident information – You should note the exact date and time of the accident, along with the road and weather conditions. Weather conditions will be a major point for an insurer when it comes to determining fault.
• Images and videos – Photo and video evidence could be extremely helpful when it comes to determining liability of the accident. You should take images and videos of the damage to any vehicles involved, as long as it is safe to do so. Taking photos and videos of the surrounding environment, such as traffic and road markings is also important. If you have valid dash cam footage, it may be worth providing this to your insurer as well.

If you’ve been involved in an accident, we recommend calling CARS before your insurance company, to ensure you receive credible and non-biased advice.