Information to Collect at the Scene

Key Takeaways

• The other party's insurance information is the single most important piece of data at the scene. Everything else can be requested later; that detail goes away when they drive off.
• Photograph rather than handwrite where possible. A phone photo of a license card is more accurate and captures more detail than a transcribed version.
• If police respond, stay until you have a report number — not just a verbal assurance that one is coming.

Information from the other party

Driver's full legal name, license number, and issuing state. Vehicle registration — owner name if different from the driver. Insurance company name, policy number, and the phone number printed on the insurance card.

If the other vehicle is a commercial truck: the carrier name as it appears on the DOT placard, the DOT number, trailer number if separate from the tractor, and the driver's employer if they'll share it. Carrier information helps establish who the insurer is and who else may be involved in the claim.

Information from law enforcement

Police agency name, officer name, badge number, and incident report number before you leave the scene. The full report takes days; the number lets you request it when it's ready.

If police don't respond — which happens in minor incidents in some jurisdictions — ask dispatch whether a self-reported crash report is required in your state. Some states require all crashes above a damage threshold to be reported regardless of police involvement.

What to record about the scene

Location: exact address or mile marker, direction of travel for each vehicle, which lane each was in at the point of impact. Time: as accurate as possible, and whether daylight, dusk, or darkness. Weather: the actual conditions at the moment, not a general description of the day.

Road conditions: wet, dry, icy, gravel, construction zone, temporary lane changes in effect. Any condition that contributed to the situation should be noted and photographed before it changes — a wet road dries, a construction zone closes, a debris field gets swept.

Witness information

Name, phone number, and where the witness was standing when the incident occurred. You don't need a full statement at the scene — contact information is enough. A formal statement can be taken later by an investigator or attorney if needed.

If a witness leaves before you can speak with them, try to photograph their vehicle's license plate. A witness identified through a registration trace is slow but possible. A person who walks away completely unidentified is not recoverable.