The first 72 hours after a car accident: what to do and when

What to do for your health, car, paperwork and records over the first three days

Safety Behind the Wheel Foundationdrivewithcare.org

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For survivors and families8 min read

First days after a crashWarning signsEvidenceTowing and storageInsurance claims

The crash scene is only the start. Over the next three days, three clocks run at the same time. Your body may show injuries that were hidden at first. Evidence, such as store video, can be erased. And forms and claims have deadlines that many people never hear about.

This guide puts the first 72 hours in order. It covers what to do at the scene, later that day, and on days two and three. It also explains why each step matters.

Three clocks start at the crash

Your body

Some injuries take time to show. A clinical review of whiplash says symptoms can start right away or within 72 hours [1]. In a study of children seen in emergency departments after car crashes, 47% developed whiplash symptoms. Of the 49 children who did, 29 had symptoms within 24 hours. The rest had them by 48 hours [2].

Your evidence

Evidence can disappear. In one Pennsylvania court case, store video that no one asked to save was recorded over after 30 days [3]. Some systems may keep video for an even shorter time.

Your paperwork

Forms and claims have deadlines. California requires a report to the DMV, called an SR 1, within 10 days when anyone is hurt or damage is over $1,000. This applies even when police already took a report [4]. In Florida, PIP medical benefits pay only if you get first care within 14 days of the crash [5].

Rules differ by state. Check the rules where the crash happened.

Your 72 hour plan at a glance

Use this table as a map. The sections below explain the steps that are easy to miss.

Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation

What to do and when

TaskAt the sceneLater that dayDays two and three
HealthCall 911 for any injury. Check your passengers.Get checked if anything hurts or feels off. Note any pain and when it started.Watch for new neck pain, headache, numbness, sleep or mood changes. Book a follow up visit.
ReportingCall police where required. Get the report number and the agency name.Tell your insurer. Write a short account while your memory is fresh.Check your state report deadline. Request the police report.
VehicleMove it if safe and legal. Note the tow company and the yard.Confirm where the car is and the daily storage rate.Get it back or have it moved before fees grow. Let your insurer inspect it.
RecordsTake photos. Get the other driver’s details and witness names.Save any dash cam clip. List nearby cameras.Ask businesses to keep their video. Start one folder for bills, notes and claim numbers.
HelpCall someone to come to you.Arrange a ride, child care, or a rental if it is covered.Ask someone to handle calls. Watch everyone, including children, for signs of stress.

Rules and deadlines differ by state. Check the state where the crash happened.

Later that day: get checked and tell your insurer

If anything hurts or feels off, get checked. For mild symptoms, urgent care or your regular doctor may be the right place. Write down any pain and the time it started.

Get emergency care now for these danger signs

  • A headache that gets worse and does not go away
  • Weakness or numbness
  • Repeated vomiting
  • Slurred speech
  • Unusual drowsiness, or being hard to wake
  • One pupil larger than the other
  • A seizure
  • Confusion that keeps growing

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room [6].

Tell your insurer soon. A common standard auto policy asks for prompt notice of how, when and where the crash happened. It also asks for the names of anyone hurt and any witnesses. The same policy lets the insurer inspect the car before it is repaired or disposed of [7].

Write a short account of what happened while it is fresh. Save any dash cam clip. Make a list of nearby businesses that may have cameras.

Days two and three: the steps people miss

Most guides stop at the scene. But days two and three are when many people lose money or evidence. A car sits in a yard and fees add up. Store video gets recorded over. A neck injury shows up but never gets written down.

Your car and storage fees

Find out where your car is and what the yard charges each day. Storage fees can grow fast. One New Jersey township charges $30 a day, starting the day after the tow [8]. In California, you can get a towed car back in the first 72 hours without a lien fee. You can also inspect it at no charge [9].

Let your insurer inspect the car. Then move it, or let the insurer move it, before fees pile up.

Your health

Keep watching for new neck pain, headache, numbness, trouble sleeping or mood changes. Book a follow up visit if anything new appears.

Strong feelings are common too. A 2025 review of 82 studies looked at post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after traffic crashes. About 29% of survivors had PTSD at one month. That fell to about 19% at three months [10]. Many reactions fade with time. If yours do not, ask for help.

Your records

Ask businesses near the crash to save their camera video today. Request the police report. Then check your state’s deadline for your own crash report. California, New York and Texas set 10 days for crashes that meet their rules [4, 11, 12]. Massachusetts sets 5 days [13].

Checklist from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation

  • Find out where your car is and its daily storage rate.
  • Let your insurer inspect the car, then move it before fees grow.
  • Ask nearby businesses to save their camera video.
  • Request the police report.
  • Check your state’s crash report deadline.
  • Write down any new pain, headache or numbness, and when it started.
  • Book a follow up visit if anything new appears.
  • Start one folder for bills, notes, photos and claim numbers.
  • Ask someone to help with calls, rides or child care.
  • Watch everyone, including children, for signs of stress.

Questions to ask in the first three days

Question checklist from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation

  1. Where is my car, and what is the daily storage fee?
  2. Does my state require me to file my own crash report, and by when?
  3. When will the police report be ready, and how do I get it?
  4. Does my insurer want to inspect the car before it is moved?
  5. Which businesses near the crash have cameras, and how long do they keep video?
  6. Is this pain something for my regular doctor, urgent care or the emergency room?
  7. Does my state set a deadline to start care for PIP benefits?

Frequently asked questions

Should I go to the emergency room if I only feel a little sore?

Not always. For mild soreness, urgent care or your regular doctor may be enough. Call 911 or go to the emergency room for danger signs. These include a headache that gets worse, repeated vomiting, slurred speech or growing confusion [6].

How long do I have to report a crash to my state?

It depends on the state. California, New York and Texas set 10 days for crashes that meet their rules [4, 11, 12]. Massachusetts sets 5 days [13]. Check with the motor vehicle agency where the crash happened.

Why does it matter where my car is towed?

Storage yards often charge by the day. Fees can grow while you wait for a decision. Ask your insurer early whether it will move the car or inspect it where it is.

The bottom line

Recommendation from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation

The first three days matter as much as the scene. Watch your body, find your car, save evidence and check your deadlines. Ask someone you trust to help with calls and rides. Small steps now can protect your health and your claim later.

Sources and further reading

  1. 1Corsalini M, et al. Clinical review of whiplash injury. 2022. PubMed Central. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8776128
  2. 2Boyd R, et al. Whiplash in children after car crashes. Emergency Medicine Journal, 2002. emj.bmj.com/content/19/4/311
  3. 3Marshall Dennehey. Rule of thumb vs. rule of law: preservation of video surveillance and spoliation. marshalldennehey.com/…/rule-thumb-vs-rule-law-pres…
  4. 4California Department of Motor Vehicles. Report of traffic accident occurring in California (SR 1). dmv.ca.gov/…/SR-1-SR-1A-R1-2017-ASB-WWW.…
  5. 5Florida Statutes, section 627.736. Required personal injury protection benefits. flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2017/0627.736
  6. 6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury. cdc.gov/…/signs-symptoms
  7. 7PropertyCasualty360. Personal auto policy: parts E and F. July 2018. propertycasualty360.com/…/personal-auto-policy-parts-…
  8. 8Plainsboro Township, New Jersey. Tow service costs. plainsboronj.com/448/Tow-Service-Costs
  9. 9California Vehicle Code, section 22651.07. california.public.law/…/ca_veh_code_section_22651.07
  10. 10Shahsavarinia K, et al. Post traumatic stress disorder after traffic crashes: a meta analysis. Health Promotion Perspectives, 2025. hpp.tbzmed.ac.ir/Article/hpp-43651
  11. 11New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Report of motor vehicle accident (MV-104). dmvsearch.webnycdn.ny.gov/document/mv-104
  12. 12Texas Department of Transportation. Instructions for the driver’s crash report (CR-2). nhtsa.gov/…/tx_driverrptcr2_2_2010_sub3…
  13. 13Attleboro Police Department, Massachusetts. Crash report information. attleboropolice.org

This article reflects the safety priorities of crash recovery and injury prevention. It offers general education, not medical, legal or insurance advice. Laws and policies differ by state, so check official sources where the crash happened. Reviewed November 2026.

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