Being rear-ended happens faster than most people realize. One moment you're stopped at a light. The next, everything shifts and you're trying to make sense of what just happened.
The decisions you make in the first ten minutes matter significantly — for your safety, your insurance claim, and the legal record of what occurred. Here's the correct sequence.
Minute 1–2: Immediate Safety
The first priority is always safety, not documentation. Before you do anything else:
- Check yourself for injury. Adrenaline masks pain — move carefully and assess honestly before assuming you're fine.
- Turn on your hazard lights immediately.
- If the vehicle is drivable and you're blocking traffic, move to the shoulder or a nearby parking area before stopping to exchange information.
- If your car isn't drivable, stay inside with your seatbelt on if you're on a road where other vehicles could strike your stopped car from behind.
- Call 911 if there are any injuries, if the vehicles are blocking traffic and can't be moved, or if the other driver is behaving erratically.
Minute 2–3: Secure the Footage
Do this before you get out of the car. This step takes 30 seconds and is the most important documentation step you'll take.
- Open your dash cam app and confirm the incident clip was flagged and saved.
- If using Nexar or another cloud-connected camera, confirm the clip has uploaded or is queued for upload.
- If the clip wasn't automatically saved, manually lock it now using the camera's emergency button or the app.
Do not wait to do this. The other driver may claim you moved the car or behaved unusually — having footage that captures the original scene before anything changes is invaluable.
Minute 3–5: Document the Scene
Once safety is established and footage is secured, document with your phone:
- Both vehicles from multiple angles, showing damage and relative positions
- License plates of both (or all) vehicles involved
- Skid marks, debris, or other road evidence before it's disturbed
- The intersection or road location — street signs, mile markers
- Weather conditions and time of day
- Any visible injuries — but do not photograph the other driver without their consent unless they're in public view
Minute 5–7: Exchange Information
Exchange the following with the other driver. Use the notes app on your phone to photograph or type rather than handwriting, which can be misread:
- Full name and address
- Driver's license number
- Insurance company name, policy number, and claims phone number
- License plate
- Vehicle make, model, year, and color
Do not sign anything the other driver presents. Do not discuss fault in any terms that could be construed as an admission. "I'm glad no one was seriously hurt" is different from "I'm sorry, this was my fault." Say the former if you want to; don't say the latter unless you've determined it's accurate.
Minute 7–10: Police Report and Witness Information
If police respond, give a factual account of what happened — direction of travel, position of vehicles, the sequence of events as you experienced them. Mention the dash cam. The officer's report will note its existence, which matters for your claim.
If witnesses stopped, get their names and contact information. Bystander witnesses are valuable and their availability is time-sensitive — they may leave before police arrive.
If police did not respond (common in minor incidents), file a police report yourself at your local station or online — many jurisdictions offer online accident reporting for incidents without injuries. Your insurer may require this report.
After the Scene: What to Do Next
Notify your insurer within 24 hours, even if you believe the other driver is entirely at fault. Most policies require prompt notification and reserving the right to pursue the other driver's insurer. Your insurer advocates for you — let them.
When reporting to your insurer: mention the dash cam footage immediately and offer to send it directly to the claims adjuster. This often speeds resolution significantly — claims with clear footage close faster than disputed claims that require investigation.
Read our full guide on submitting dash cam footage to insurance for the exact process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I move my car after being rear-ended?
If the car is drivable and blocking traffic, yes — move to the shoulder. If not drivable, stay put and wait for emergency response. In most states, drivers are legally required to move drivable vehicles out of the travel lanes after a non-injury accident.
Do I have to call police after a rear-end collision?
Requirements vary by state. Most states require reporting accidents that involve injury, fatality, or damage above a threshold (typically $500–$1,000). Even for minor incidents, a police report creates an official record that simplifies the insurance claim process.
What if the other driver wants to settle without involving insurance?
Be cautious. Injuries from rear-end collisions — particularly whiplash and soft tissue damage — can manifest days after the accident. Settling on the spot means waiving any future claims. Get everything in writing and consult with an attorney before signing anything if the damage is anything more than trivially minor.
My dash cam wasn't running when I got rear-ended. Now what?
Document everything as described above. The lack of footage makes witness information more valuable. Request the police report as soon as it's available, and check whether any nearby businesses, traffic cameras, or other drivers may have captured the incident.