How to Document a Car Accident — Photos and Video That Matter

After ensuring everyone is safe, your next priority is documentation — insurance companies and police rely heavily on evidence collected at the scene. Take wide shots showing the overall scene, intersection, and relative positions of vehicles. Then take close-ups of all damage to every vehicle involved, including scratches you did not cause.

Photograph license plates, the other driver's documents (license, insurance card), road conditions, traffic signs, skid marks, and any debris. Shoot a short video walking around the entire scene for context. Note the time, date, and weather. If there are witnesses, ask for their contact information. Save everything in a cloud folder immediately — phones get lost, damaged, or stolen. The ten minutes you spend documenting can save months of insurance disputes.