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Free, plain-English guidance after a vehicle accident in the US

What's happened?

What to do next, the rules in your state and the numbers behind them. We're not a law firm, and every fact links to its source.

Where are you right now?

Pick the moment you're in. Each guide starts with the short answer, then the detail.

  1. It just happened

    A step-by-step checklist that works with one hand. Nothing to sign up for, and nothing is sent anywhere.

    Start the checklist

  2. The first few days

    Seeing a doctor, getting the police report and telling your insurer, in the order it matters.

    What to do this week

  3. The insurer called

    What to say, what not to say, and whether to give a recorded statement.

    Talking to insurers

  4. Do I need a lawyer?

    An honest answer either way, including when you probably don't need one.

    Do I need a lawyer?

  5. Deadlines and your claim

    Your state sets the clocks for reports and claims. Each one is listed with its statute.

    Your state's deadlines

By type of accident

CarWhat to do after a crash, in the order it matters.TruckCrashes with semis and big rigs, where trucking rules and more than one insurer can apply.RideshareUber and Lyft crashes, as a passenger, driver or someone they hit.MotorcycleInjuries, helmet questions and how fault is weighed for riders.PedestrianHit by a vehicle while walking or crossing the road.CyclistHit by a driver, a dooring or a road hazard while cycling.
E-bike & e-scooterCrashes on e-bikes and e-scooters, including rentals and shared schemes. Guide in preparation.
Commercial vehicleDelivery vans and work vehicles, where the employer may share responsibility.Hit-and-runThe other driver left. What to report, and which coverage may apply.Uninsured driverThe other driver had no insurance, or not enough.
All vehicle accident guides

The Accident Advisory Index · 2026

Road-injury risk in every state, ranked from public data

All 50 states and DC, scored on fatalities per mile driven and per resident. The formula is published.

Explore the indexMethodology
RankLowest riskScore
01Massachusetts0.0
02Minnesota10.6
03New Jersey12.7
04New York17.0
05Hawaii17.5
RankHighest riskScore
51Mississippi100.0
50Wyoming88.0
49South Carolina83.6
48New Mexico80.4
47Arizona79.5

Source: TAA Index 2026 · NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2023 data · FHWA Highway Statistics, table VM-2 2023 · US Census Bureau population estimates Vintage 2025, July 1 2023 · Updated October 22, 2026

More data

The Deadline AtlasEvery state's accident deadlines in one table, each with its statute.State statutesFault rules by stateHow each state treats shared fault after a crash.State statutes

Laws by state

Your state's deadlines and rules, checked state by state.

Each state page separates the rules people mix up, cites the statute for each and shows when we last checked it.

After a vehicle accident

  1. Report to police or DMV
  2. Tell your insurer
  3. Injury lawsuit deadline
  4. Claim against a government vehicle

Latest law changes

All changes In preparation

The law-change tracker is being rebuilt. Each change will show the state, the date it takes effect and the rule it changes, with the bill or order it comes from.

Editorial policy

Written by The Accident Advisory editorial team. The policy explains how every page is written, sourced and kept up to date.

Read the policy

Methodology

Our data comes from federal and state datasets and court records. Definitions, formulas and update dates are all public.

See the method

Sources on every page

Statutes, datasets and court dockets are cited where they're used, with the date we checked them.

Browse the data hub
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