What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a New Jersey Car Accident

What do you do before leaving an NJ crash scene?

The first thing to do after a car accident is get out of live lanes, switch on hazards and call 911 if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked.

1. Stay off the roadway while you wait. In our 2023 and 2024 count, 409 pedestrians died on New Jersey roads, and 642 of the 1,294 people killed died after dark.
2. Exchange names, license, plate and insurance details, and photograph the cards.
3. Photograph vehicle positions, damage, signals and the road surface. Wet pavement was logged in 18,665 injury crashes in those two years.
4. Keep uncropped originals and any dashcam file, and get each witness's phone number.
5. Write down the officer's name, the agency and the case number.
6. Do not drive off before those duties are done.

Our guide to keeping dashcam and photos usable shows what each file proves later. The full hour, light and weather counts are in when most New Jersey crashes happen.

If the other driver left, our hit-and-run claim guide covers what follows leaving the scene.²

Do police care about minor accidents in NJ?

Yes: the duty turns on harm, not size. Tell police whenever someone is hurt or one person's property damage passes $500.

Most crashes are damage only: 78 percent of the 514,320 police-reported crashes in 2023 and 2024 hurt nobody. Modern bumpers and sensors often cost more than $500 to fix.

The driver must reach local, county or State Police "by the quickest means of communication." Not knowing how bad the damage is does not excuse silence once you knew a crash happened.

Hit from behind? Read what to do immediately after getting rear-ended.³

What happens if I don't report an accident within 10 days?

A knowing failure to make a required report carries a $30 to $100 fine, and the MVC may suspend a license or registration.

The 10-day written report is owed only when no officer wrote the crash up. Our crash report guide explains how to file the SR-1 self-report.

A town, NJ Transit or Turnpike Authority vehicle starts a separate 90-day clock for written notice of a claim. All seven clocks sit in our New Jersey car accident deadlines table.⁴

Can a symptom that starts tonight wait until morning?

Not a danger sign: a worsening headache, repeated vomiting or slurred speech needs emergency care that night.

The CDC notes some concussion symptoms appear only hours or days later. Our page on how long car accident symptoms take to show up covers late pain.

Your own PIP pays first unless you named your health plan as primary; our PIP or health insurance guide shows which applies.⁵

What should you leave out of the first insurer call?

Leave out guesses: do not estimate speed or cause, and do not call an injury minor. "Symptoms are still being assessed" is accurate on day one.

Give the claim line the date, place, vehicles, people, where the car is and who got care. Note the claim number and the handler's name.

The police report does not settle fault. Before any call with the other insurer, read about recorded statements and what not to say to an adjuster.

What should your first-night record include?

Six items cover the first night, kept in one paper or phone folder:

• the case number, officer and agency;
• the other driver's details and your scene photos in their original files;
• discharge instructions and a dated note of each symptom;
• the tow company, where the car is stored and any storage charge quoted;
• the claim number and the handler's name;
• any missed work, in hours and dates.

Without a car? See how soon you can get a rental car after an NJ crash. Repairs and total loss are on our New Jersey property damage claim steps.

The claim path after day one is on our New Jersey car accident help hub.