What to Do After a Car Accident in Florida

The eight things to do in the minutes and days after a Florida crash — in order — to stay safe, protect your health, and keep your insurance and legal options open.

7 min read · Last reviewed August 9, 2026 · First steps

A crash is disorienting, and the choices you make in the first minutes and days genuinely shape what happens next — your health, your insurance claim, and your legal options. Here's what to do, in order. You can work the same list at the scene, tap by tap, in the scene checklist.

The 8 steps

1. Get to safety and check for injuries. If the cars are drivable and it's safe, move them out of the travel lanes and turn on hazards. Check yourself and everyone else for injuries before anything else.
2. Call 911 and get a police report. Call police to the scene if anyone is hurt or the damage looks significant. A crash report is powerful evidence later — and Florida requires reporting for injury, death, or apparent damage around $500 or more.
3. Photograph everything. Take wide shots and close-ups of all vehicles, the damage, license plates, final resting positions, skid marks, road signs, traffic signals, and any visible injuries. More is better.
4. Exchange information and find witnesses. Get the other driver's name, license, insurance company and policy number, plate, and phone. Collect names and numbers of any witnesses before they leave.
5. Say little — don't admit fault. Be polite and factual. Don't apologize or speculate about blame at the scene; under Florida's comparative-negligence rule, your share of fault reduces (or, above 50%, erases) your recovery.
6. See a doctor within 14 days. Adrenaline hides injuries. Florida's no-fault system only pays your PIP medical benefits if you're seen within 14 days of the crash — miss it and you can lose all $10,000.
7. Report the crash to your insurer. Notify your own insurance company promptly, stick to the facts, and keep a claim number. Prompt notice is usually a policy requirement.
8. Start a file and watch the deadline. Keep the report, photos, medical bills, and repair estimates together. For crashes on or after March 24, 2023, you generally have two years to file a negligence lawsuit.

What to capture at the scene

If you remember nothing else, get these: photos of every vehicle and the whole scene, the other driver's insurance card and license, the plate, and witness contacts. The exchange-info tool walks you through collecting exactly what a claim needs, and stores it on your device.

Why the 14-day rule is the one deadline not to miss

Florida is a no-fault state: your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays first, up to $10,000 — but only if you get initial care within 14 calendar days. If a qualified provider also documents an emergency medical condition, you keep the full $10,000; without one, PIP is capped at just $2,500. When in doubt, get checked. The get-care tool helps you find the right kind of provider in time.

What not to do

• Don't leave the scene of an injury crash — that's a serious offense.
• Don't admit fault or agree to "handle it off the record" without a report.
• Don't skip medical care because you feel okay.
• Don't give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer before you understand your claim.

This is general information about Florida law, not legal advice. Every crash is different — for advice about your situation, talk to a licensed Florida attorney. Reviewed August 9, 2026.