The short answer
After a truck accident: get safe and call 911 if anyone is hurt, protect the scene, document everything, notify your insurer and the motor carrier (if you're leased on) immediately, follow drug and alcohol testing rules if they apply, and don't admit fault or sign anything at the scene. What you do in the first hour shapes how the claim goes for months.
Nobody plans for a crash, but every driver should have a plan for one. A truck accident is stressful, fast-moving and full of decisions that matter later: what you say, what you photograph, who you call and in what order. This guide covers what to do after a truck accident from the moment the truck stops to the weeks after the claim is filed. This is general information, not legal advice. Your insurer, your motor carrier's safety department and, where needed, an attorney are the right people to guide decisions about your specific case.
Step 1: Make the scene safe
Your first job is people, not paperwork.
- Stop the truck, set the brakes and turn on hazard lights.
- Check yourself and others for injuries. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately.
- Place warning devices as required. Under federal rules (49 CFR 392.22), when a commercial vehicle is stopped on the road you must put out warning devices within 10 minutes. On a two-lane road that's typically one about 10 feet behind or ahead in the direction of traffic, one about 100 feet behind and one about 100 feet ahead, with adjustments on divided highways, hills and curves.
- If the truck is leaking fuel or hazardous materials, keep people away and tell the dispatcher and responders exactly what you're hauling.
Step 2: Call the police and get a report
Even for a minor collision, a police report creates an independent record. Ask the officer for the report number and how to get a copy. If police won't come for a minor accident, write down the time you called and who you spoke with.
Step 3: Notify the right people, in the right order
| Who | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency services | Immediately if injuries, fire, hazmat or blocked lanes | Safety and an official record |
| Your dispatcher or motor carrier | As soon as it's safe | Leased-on drivers are operating under the carrier's authority and policy |
| Your insurer or agent | Same day, ideally from the scene | Most policies require prompt notice; delays can complicate coverage |
| The shipper or broker | Once you know the cargo's condition | Cargo claims have notice deadlines in many contracts |
If you're an owner-operator under your own authority, your insurer is your first business call. If you're leased on to a carrier, follow their accident procedure; they'll usually involve their insurer and safety team. Our guide to leased-on vs. own-authority insurance explains which policy responds in each case.
Step 4: Document everything
Your phone is the most important tool at the scene. Take more photos than you think you need.
Photos and video
- All vehicles from every angle, including license plates and DOT numbers
- Damage close up and from a distance
- Skid marks, debris, road conditions, signage, traffic lights and weather
- Your cargo and seal, and the trailer interior if it's safe to open
- Injuries, if the people involved are comfortable with it
Information to collect
- Names, phone numbers and addresses of other drivers and witnesses
- Insurance company and policy number for every vehicle involved
- The other driver's license number and vehicle registration
- If another commercial vehicle is involved, its carrier name, USDOT number and MC number
- Responding officer's name, badge number and report number
Your own notes
Write down what happened while it's fresh: time, location (mile marker or nearest cross street), direction of travel, speed, lane and what you saw. Keep it factual. If your truck has a dash cam or telematics, make sure the footage is preserved; tell your carrier or insurer it exists.
Step 5: Watch what you say
Be polite and cooperative, but don't admit fault, apologize in a way that sounds like admitting fault, or speculate about what caused the crash. Fault is decided later with all the evidence. Give the police the facts. Don't sign statements from other parties or their insurers, and don't post about the accident on social media.
Important: If someone from another party's insurance company calls you, you're not required to give a recorded statement on the spot. Refer them to your insurer or carrier.
Step 6: Drug and alcohol testing
FMCSA rules (49 CFR 382.303) require post-accident testing for CDL drivers after certain crashes. In general:
- Testing is required after any accident involving a fatality.
- Testing is also required when a driver receives a citation and someone is injured and treated away from the scene, or a vehicle is towed due to disabling damage.
- Alcohol tests should be done within 2 hours where possible and no later than 8 hours; drug tests within 32 hours.
Your carrier's safety department or your consortium will tell you exactly what applies. Don't consume alcohol for 8 hours after the accident or until you're tested, whichever comes first.
Step 7: Report it under FMCSA rules
Motor carriers must keep an accident register for crashes that meet FMCSA's definition of an "accident" (a fatality, an injury treated away from the scene, or a vehicle towed due to disabling damage). If you run under your own authority, that's your responsibility. Keep copies of police reports and insurance correspondence with the record.
Step 8: File the insurance claim properly
Different coverages respond to different parts of a crash:
| What was damaged | Coverage that usually responds |
|---|---|
| Other vehicles, property and injured people | Primary auto liability |
| Your truck and trailer | Physical damage (collision) |
| The freight you were hauling | Motor truck cargo |
| A trailer you were pulling under an interchange agreement | Trailer interchange |
| Your own injuries, if you're an independent contractor | Occupational accident |
When you file, give the claims adjuster your photos, the police report number, witness details, the bill of lading and any dash cam footage. Ask for the claim number and the adjuster's direct contact information. Keep a log of every call: date, who you talked to and what was said.
Step 9: Handle cargo carefully
If freight is damaged, don't throw it away. Insurers and shippers may need to inspect it to value the loss or arrange salvage. Note the damage on the delivery receipt if you complete delivery, and notify the shipper or broker in writing. Cargo claims are where many truckers get surprised; read why cargo claims get denied so you know what adjusters look for.
Step 10: Get the truck repaired and back to work
Ask your adjuster about approved shops, how payment will be made and whether your policy includes rental, downtime or towing coverage. Many truck policies don't cover lost income while a truck is in the shop unless you bought that coverage separately. If yours doesn't, it's worth asking about at renewal.
A one-page accident checklist for your cab
- Safety first: hazards on, warning devices out within 10 minutes, call 911 if anyone is hurt
- Call police and get a report number
- Call dispatch or your carrier
- Call your insurer or agent
- Photograph everything: vehicles, plates, DOT numbers, road, cargo
- Collect names, phones, insurance and DOT numbers
- Don't admit fault; don't sign anything from other parties
- Follow post-accident drug and alcohol testing rules
- Preserve dash cam and ELD data
- Keep a log of every claim conversation
Print it, keep it in your glovebox with your insurance card and the MCS-90 copy, and go over it with every driver you hire.
How an accident affects your next renewal
An at-fault claim will usually show on your loss runs for several years and can raise your premium at renewal. How the claim was handled matters too: prompt reporting, good documentation and cooperation help keep costs down, which helps your file. At your next renewal, be ready to explain what happened and what you changed, whether that's training, equipment or routes. Our renewal checklist covers how to present a claim to a new underwriter.
Questions truckers ask
Who should I call first after a truck accident?
Emergency services if anyone is injured or the road is blocked. Then your dispatcher or motor carrier, then your insurer, ideally the same day.
Do I have to drug test after a truck accident?
Federal rules require post-accident testing after a fatality, and after crashes where you're cited and someone is treated away from the scene or a vehicle is towed with disabling damage. Your carrier's safety team will confirm what applies.
Should I give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer?
You aren't required to on the spot. Refer them to your own insurer or carrier, who can advise you.
Does my truck insurance cover lost income while my truck is repaired?
Usually not unless you bought downtime or rental reimbursement coverage. Ask your agent whether your policy includes it.
Will an accident raise my truck insurance?
An at-fault claim usually shows on loss runs for several years and can raise renewal pricing. Good documentation and safety changes help when you explain it to underwriters.
Written by the FairlyCover Editorial Team. This guide explains how coverage generally works. It isn't legal or insurance advice, and your policy wording always decides what's covered. How we write and review content.
