What to do after a car accident in Queensland

Check that everyone is OK, get the cars out of the traffic if they can be moved safely, and swap details before anyone leaves. Everything else, including the repair quote, can wait until you're home and calm.

Here's the order that works for a minor bump, which is most of what we see at the workshop in Slacks Creek.

1. Safety first

If anyone is hurt, call 000. If the cars are driveable and it's safe, move them off the road or into the left lane and put the hazard lights on. If a car can't be moved, stay well clear of traffic while you wait.

2. Swap details

Queensland law requires drivers involved in a crash to stop and exchange details. Get the other driver's:

• Full name and address
• Phone number
• Registration number, and the make, model and colour of the car
• Insurer, if they know it

Give them yours. If the other driver won't stop or won't give details, note the registration and report it to police.

3. Take photos

Your phone is the best tool you have at the scene. Take:

• Wide shots of both cars where they came to rest, showing the road and any signs
• Each car's damage, close up and from a step back
• The other car's number plate
• Anything relevant: skid marks, debris, a damaged sign or fence

These photos are also what we'll use to give you a repair quote, so take more than you think you need.

4. Don't argue about fault

Be polite, stick to facts, and don't apologise or accept blame at the scene. Fault is worked out by the insurers from the evidence, not on the side of the road.

5. Report it when required

In Queensland you must report a crash to police if someone is injured or killed, if a driver fails to stop or exchange details, if a vehicle needs towing, or if there's damage to property other than the vehicles involved (a fence, a pole, a parked car with no one around). For a minor bump with no injuries and both drivers present, you don't have to call police, but you can still lodge a report online. Check the Queensland Police Service website for the current rules.

6. Decide: insurance or private?

Once you're home, work out whether to claim. If the damage is a bumper scuff and the repair is close to your excess, paying privately may be cheaper and keeps a claim off your record. If the damage is bigger, or someone else is at fault, claiming usually makes sense. We've written a separate guide on insurance versus paying privately.

If you do claim, remember that many comprehensive policies let you choose your own repairer. You can nominate H&H Smash Repairs at 77 Moss St, Slacks Creek.

7. Get a quote from the photos

Send your photos through our quote form with your name, mobile and what happened. We'll come back with a price and a time frame. For bigger damage we may ask you to bring the car in so we can check underneath the panels.

What about driving the car?

If a light is broken, a wheel is rubbing, the bonnet won't latch or anything is dragging, don't drive it. For cosmetic damage (scuffs, dents, a cracked bumper that's still attached), it's usually fine to drive to the workshop.

Quick checklist

• Safe? Hurt? Call 000 if needed.
• Hazard lights on, move off the road if safe.
• Swap names, phones, registrations, insurers.
• Photos of everything.
• Report to police if required.
• Decide on insurance or private.
• Send photos for a quote.

If you're in Logan or Brisbane's south side, call us on 0402 106 456 or drop into Moss St. We're open six days.