10 Things to Do Immediately After a Car Crash in Illinois or Indiana

Every day in our part of the country, people are injured or killed in car crashes caused by all sorts of things. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that there were over 100,000 car crashes in the City of Chicago alone in the latest data year. Studies done by the City of Chicago find things like reckless driving, speeding, and varied size of the vehicles, among other things to be key issues in trying to decrease the risk of a serious car crash with the Windy City.

Things are just as disturbing when considering Indiana statistics for car accidents. Data compiled by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute finds over 200,000 collisions happen in the Hoosier State each year, with fatality rates remaining much too high. For details, read “Indiana Car Accident Statistics 2025: Key Statistics and Trends,” written by Susannah Wyatt and published by the Indiana Environmental Reporter on February 4, 2025.

It is important that anyone involved in a car crash – passenger or driver – know that immediately after the collision itself, there are things to be done. Some are steps that are wise to take. Some are required by law. Things including the following:

Ten Things to Do Right After a Car Crash

1. Check to Make Sure Everyone is Okay: Does Anyone Need Medical Attention?

Sadly, there will be accidents where one or more people are hurt. They may have minor injuries, or they may be facing life-threatening conditions, including severe bleeding or blunt force trauma. The first priority must be to help those that are hurt and to get them medical attention as soon as possible.

Note that under Illinois law, drivers are legally required to stop at the scene of an accident if there is any personal injury to someone involved in the crash. 625 ILCS 5/11-401. Under Indiana law, anyone involved in any motor vehicle accident must stop at the scene (or as close as they can). IC § 9-26-1-1.1. They are also legally required to render aid to those injured or entrapped in the accident.

2. Call 911

You need to report the accident to law enforcement authorities as well as getting EMS help for those who are injured. Call 911. Contacting first responders is very important when someone is hurt; if traffic is being impacted (even rubberneckers are a danger); or if the vehicles are leaking fuel or posing another threat.

911 operators may guide those at the crash site on how to help those who are injured until first responders trained in emergency medical care and treatment arrive.

3. Move the Vehicles to a Safe Place Nearby

It is important to protect crash victims and other drivers from being hit again, as well as not obstructing passing traffic after a car crash. If it is possible to do so, move the vehicles to a place that is close to the accident site but out of the way of other drivers. See, e.g., 625 ILCS 5/11-401 and IC § 9-26-1-1.

4. Exchange Information

All the drivers involved in the car crash should talk to each other, sharing their names; addresses; vehicle registration numbers; driver’s license number; etc. This is required by both Illinois and Indiana state law. § 625 ILCS 5/11‑403; IC 9‑26‑1‑1.1.

5. Document the Car Crash

Use your phone to take photos and videos of the accident scene as soon as you can. These may be needed for the car accident reports required by law, as well as for insurance claim filing and any future personal injury civil claims against those responsible for what has happened.

Note: law enforcement are legally mandated to file their own report, documenting the accident scene, under the law. These may be used by accident victims in filing for insurance; demanding damages in civil claims; etc. For instance, Illinois requires one to be filed by law enforcement within 10 days of the accident in § 625 ILCS 5/11‑408.

6. Identify the Witnesses to the Accident

Personal testimony of what someone saw either right before, right after, or at the time of impact, is very important. This witness testimony is evidence that will be a part of crash reports made by the police as well as those involved in the car crash. Look around, find those who may have facts to share, and get their contact information as well as a brief summary of what they know.

7. Stay as Calm as Possible: Be Careful About What You Say

It’s an extremely emotional experience to be involved in any car crash. Even a fender-bender can be very stressful. This is why it is important for everyone to monitor their emotions, because stress can increase their risk of injury (heart attack; etc.). Remaining calm means you can best help yourself and those around you.

In remaining as calm as you can, make sure you watch your words. Don’t scream things like “all this blood,” or other statements that can terrify victims and bystanders. Don’t point fingers at anyone and don’t accept blame yourself.

Determining why the crash happened is the job of accident reconstruction experts. You cannot know the why at the crash scene. What if the brakes failed? What if there was a glitch where the car’s speed rapidly accelerated? What if there was black ice or unseen oil on the roadway?

For more, read Accident Reconstruction Experts and Injury Claims.

8. File Your Official Report Within the Deadline

Both Indiana and Illinois state law demand that car crash reports are to be filed with the authorities by those involved in the accident within a pretty fast amount of time. Don’t fail to file.

9. Notify Your Insurance Carrier

Your insurance policy will have detailed information about the company’s specific requirements for notifying the carrier after a car crash. You may even have an app on your phone that can help you with this. Notification requirements will be specified by the policy itself, as a contract between the insurance company and the policyholder.

10. Determine Your Deadline for Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Anyone suffering bodily harm in a car crash may have civil claims for monetary damages that can be filed against all those who are legally responsible for their injuries or wrongful death. However, both Illinois and Indiana law have set deadlines for filing these injury claims. If you miss the deadline, then your civil claim will be barred by law. Know how much time you have to file. For more, read Deadlines For Accident Claims Must Be Met By Victims or Claims Are Barred.

Car Crash Claims in Indiana and Illinois

For those involved in one of the thousands of collisions here in Illinois or Indiana, understanding your legal rights is extremely important. While the police may be understanding at the scene, and the insurance company detailed in investigating, it is the accident victim’s legal duty to find out if they have legal causes of action based upon the crash.

The car crash victim must juggle the aftermath of the accident itself with the burden of pursing justice under the law. Having an experienced legal advocate here can be very helpful. To learn more about finding legal counsel that fits with your needs, read:

Car crashes happen daily here in Illinois and Indiana. Lives can be shattered in an instant. Please be careful out there!