What to Do Immediately After a Car Accident

Knowing what to do immediately after a car accident can save you a lot of headaches further down the line. In the first few minutes after a crash, most of us focus on damaged cars, traffic, and whether everyone is okay, not insurance claims or legal deadlines.

That’s normal. Still, a few early choices can make a big difference, especially on busy St. Louis roads like I-64, I-70, Kingshighway Boulevard, Gravois Avenue, and Natural Bridge Road.

The basics are pretty simple. Make sure everyone is safe, call for help, exchange information, document the scene, and get checked out if you’re hurt.

Prioritize Safety and Check for Injuries

Your first job after a crash is to make sure nobody is in immediate danger. Before you start taking pictures or talking about insurance, check yourself, your passengers, and the people in the other vehicle for injuries.

If no one is hurt and the vehicles are blocking traffic on a state highway, Missouri law expects you to move them out of the way when you can do it safely. Otherwise, follow the instructions of law enforcement or emergency personnel. On a busy interstate or major city street, a second collision can happen fast. Everything else can wait a few minutes.

Call 911 to Report Your Accident and Request Medical Aid

Calling 911 creates a clear record of your accident and sends emergency medical help to the scene when needed. This is vital if anyone has head or neck pain, trouble breathing, dizziness, or visible injuries.

The responding officer can also document the scene and prepare a report. The process usually starts with law enforcement responding to the crash, asking you some questions, and recording the basic facts. If city police responded, you can often download the report from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s website after a few business days.

Keep your explanation simple, short, and factual. Tell the officer what you saw, where your vehicle was, and what happened immediately before the impact. You don’t need to guess. If you don’t know how fast the other vehicle was going, say that.

Exchange Information with All Involved Parties

Exchanging insurance information is one of the most important things you can do before everyone leaves the scene. You want enough information to identify the drivers, the vehicles, and the insurance companies involved.

Try to collect:

• Names and contact information
• Driver’s license information
• License plate numbers
• Insurance company and policy information
• Vehicle makes and models
• Contact information for passengers and witnesses

Using your phone can make this easier. Take clear pictures of insurance cards, license plates, and driver’s licenses instead of trying to write everything down while you’re still rattled.

The steps to take after a car accident in St. Louis can also depend on where the crash happened. Missouri car accident laws generally apply on the Missouri side, while the Illinois personal injury claim process may come into play if the crash occurs across the river. That distinction matters. Different states can have different rules for fault, damages, and filing deadlines.

Document the Scene and Gather Evidence

Preserving evidence from the scene matters because that scene won’t stay the same for long, as vehicles get moved, debris gets cleaned up, and traffic starts moving again.

Take photos of:

• Damage to every vehicle
• Skid marks and debris
• Traffic signals and signs
• The overall roadway or intersection
• Visible injuries
• Construction zones or poor lighting

Eyewitness statements can be especially helpful when the drivers have different versions of what caused the crash. A neutral witness who saw someone run a red light, tailgate, or drift into another lane can help clarify the facts.

In November 2025, St. Louis police reported that three people were injured, two of them critically, in a crash in the Vandeventer neighborhood. Police were still investigating which vehicle had entered the intersection against the red light. That’s exactly the kind of situation where photos, video, and witness information can matter.

Seek Medical Attention Promptly

Seeking medical care after a collision is a smart move if you develop pain, headaches, dizziness, numbness, stiffness, or other unusual symptoms. Some injuries don’t become obvious right away.

Adrenaline can make you feel better than you actually are. Neck pain, back pain, soft tissue injuries, and concussion symptoms may become more noticeable later that day or the next morning. Medical records also create a timeline. If you wait several weeks to mention symptoms, an insurer may question whether the crash caused them.

You don’t need to panic over every little ache. Just don’t ignore symptoms that are getting worse or not going away.

Notify Your Insurance Company of the Incident

Generally, you should let your insurance company know about the crash reasonably soon, as most policies require notice, even when another driver appears to be responsible.

Keep the first conversation straightforward. Explain when and where the crash happened, which vehicles were involved, and whether anyone reported injuries.

Be more careful once the conversation shifts to detailed statements, medical authorizations, or settlement discussions. Dealing with insurance adjusters can feel casual, but those conversations can affect the value of your claim. You don’t want to sound defensive. Just stick to facts and avoid guessing about things you aren’t sure of.

Consult a Personal Injury Attorney Before Signing Documents

Consider talking with a personal injury attorney before signing or agreeing to anything that settles or closes your claim. Once a release is signed, you may give up the right to ask for more compensation later.

That can be a problem if your treatment lasts longer than you expected. A back injury that seems manageable in the first week may turn out to require months of care, injections, surgery, and time away from work.

Our attorneys will review the crash report, your medical records, insurance coverage, witness evidence, and which state’s law applies. In the St. Louis area, that last part is important because the Missouri and Illinois sides of the metro follow different legal rules.

A quick settlement can be tempting. It’s still worth knowing what you’re giving up before you sign.

Casey & Devoti Advocate for Car Accident Victims

What to do immediately after a car accident really comes down to staying calm enough to protect yourself and preserve the basic facts. Check for injuries, call police, exchange information, document the scene, get medical care when needed, and notify your insurance company.

The first few hours after a St. Louis crash can feel messy. That’s completely normal.

These careful steps can make the process much easier later. And if someone asks you to sign away your claim before you fully understand your injuries, that’s a good time to slow things down and contact us to make sure your rights are being protected.