How To Report A Car Accident or Road Traffic Accident

Updated 17th December 2025. A car accident can be a complete shock to the system, especially if you are injured. In the aftermath, you may wonder how to report a car accident and whether it is necessary. Simply put, you can report a car accident by contacting your insurance provider and the police. This can help if you later decide to make a personal injury claim, as a copy of the police report can be used as part of your evidence.

For further guidance on reporting a car accident, you can speak with one of our advisors. There is no need to figure this out on your own, so why not take advantage of free advice offered with no strings attached? You may even be eligible to make a road traffic accident claim with one of our expert solicitors on a No Win No Fee basis. This offers the benefit of not having to pay service fees for their work before the start of the claim or while the case is ongoing. 

Questions We Receive About Reporting A Road Traffic Accident

• When should I report a car crash to the police? You need to report a collision if details were not exchanged, there were injuries, or you believe the other road user committed a driving offence.
• Who can I report an uninsured or untraceable driver to? If you are involved in an accident with one, you can inform the police and claim through the non-profit Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) for compensation. 
• What happens after I make a police report? The police will assess your report and contact you if they need any further information. 
• Do I need to report the accident to my insurance provider? Yes, you must make them aware of the incident to retain the validity of your insurance policy.
• Can I claim compensation if I haven’t made a police report? Yes, although having a copy of the report can be used as evidence to strengthen a claim.

Speak directly with an advisor for further guidance on how to report a car crash.

How To Report A Road Traffic Accident

Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 states that if you are involved in a car accident, you must stop safely to provide details to anyone affected.

If you cannot stop safely, you must report the accident to the police within 24 hours. You can do this in person at a police station or by calling 101, the police’s non-emergency phone number.

When To Report A Car Accident

It is usually written into policies that you should contact your insurer as soon after an accident as is safely possible, even if you don’t intend to make a claim. The other driver might claim against you, so your insurance company needs to know about the collision.

In some cases, you may have to report a car accident to the police. Let’s consider that next.

Reporting A Car Accident To The Police

Reporting a car accident is necessary in some circumstances, regardless of whether you stopped at the time. You may want to report it if:

• The road is blocked because of the accident.
• You suspect that the other driver is drunk or on drugs.
• You suspect that the other driver caused the crash on purpose.

We can provide further guidance on how to file reports for car accidents. Contact us to find out more.

How And When To Report Car Accidents To The MIB

In this section, we examine how to report a car accident when a driver is uninsured or fails to stop. Once you have reported it to the police, you can claim compensation for a hit-and-run accident through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).

The MIB was established to help drivers claim against uninsured and unidentified motorists, both of whom break the law. Claiming through this scheme:

• Does not affect your no-claims bonus.
• Requires a police reference number.
• Can be made against drivers from abroad.

For further guidance on claiming through the MIB, contact our advisors using the information provided above.

Reporting A Hit And Run

An MIB claim works similarly to a regular claim in that you must show that you experienced negligence from another road user.

When you report a hit and run to the police, their report can act as supporting evidence in your claim. As we have explained above, reporting an incident to the police is a legal requirement in many cases.

Please get in touch with our advisers with any additional questions you may have about claiming for a hit-and-run or whether you will be required to report the crash to the police.

Do I Need Evidence When Reporting A Car Accident? 

If you are required to report a car accident, it is important to obtain evidence from the scene. This will help to establish who was at fault for the accident and will also support your claim for compensation. 

Some examples of evidence that are useful to collect when reporting a car accident include:

• Dashcam or CCTV footage of the accident 
• Copies of your medical reports, if you sought medical assistance 
• Photographs of your injuries and the accident scene 
• Copies of your medical scans and prescriptions 
• Copies of vehicle insurance details from yourself and the other driver
• A copy of the police report, if they were called to the scene 
• The contact details of any witnesses to the accident 

Obtaining evidence is an important stage of the claims process as it helps to establish third-party liability. So, it is good practice to collect as much evidence as you can. 

If you are still injured and you are having difficulty finding evidence of the road accident, our solicitors can help you obtain it and may also help you report the incident. 

If you would like to know how to report a car accident using the evidence you have obtained, please get in touch with our helpful advisors. 

Car Accident Injury Claims With A No Win No Fee Solicitor

Once you meet your responsibilities after a car crash, you can seek help from a solicitor. Our advisors can connect you with our No Win No Fee experts who have experience with car accident claims.

Furthermore, they can represent you under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), under which you won’t be required to pay any upfront fees for their services. You also won’t need to pay your solicitor for their services if your claim is unsuccessful.

In the event of a successful claim, the solicitor will deduct their success fee from your compensation. These fees are legally capped, so most of whatever is paid out will be going to you.

To learn more about making a personal injury claim with a No Win No Fee solicitor after you report a car accident, contact our advisors. They can provide free advice about your potential claim. You can reach them by:

• Calling 0800 073 8804
• Request a callback on our ‘contact us‘ page.
• Messaging us on our 24/7 online live chat.

Essential References

Thanks for reading this guide about how to report a car accident. We’ve provided some further information for you in the form of more guides and links to external resources below. If there’s anything else you’d like to know, please get in touch with a member of our team.

• Whiplash Information – A detailed look at the causes, symptoms and treatment of whiplash injuries.
• The Highway Code – The safety rules which govern the use of roads for all.
• Broken Leg – Advice from the NHS on how to tell if you’ve broken your leg, which is a common injury following a road traffic accident.

You may also find the following Legal Expert guides useful:

• Our guide to car accident claims.
• Your most frequently asked questions about road traffic accident claims.
• A guide to seeking serious injury compensation after a car accident.

Thank you for reading our guide on how to report a car accident.