Quick answer: Stop, check on everyone, and call 911 if anyone is hurt. The California DMV says if no one is hurt, move your vehicle out of traffic first, then call 911. Share your driver’s license, registration and the other details the DMV handbook lists with the other driver and officers. If anyone was injured or killed, or property damage is over $1,000, the DMV says an SR 1 report must be sent to the DMV within 10 days. Then watch for symptoms over the next few days, because neck pain after a crash does not always show up right away.
This post is general information, not legal or medical advice. For legal questions, talk with a lawyer or contact the DMV directly.
What should you do at the scene of a crash?
The California Driver Handbook lays out the basics. In plain terms:
- Stop. The handbook says failing to stop or leaving the scene is called a hit-and-run, and it carries severe penalties.
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Do this right away.
- If no one is hurt, move out of traffic first, then call 911. Getting off the travel lanes keeps you and other drivers safer.
- Share your information. The handbook says to give your driver’s license, vehicle registration card, current address and the other required details to the other driver, law enforcement and anyone else involved.
- If you hit a parked car or other property, try to find the owner. If you cannot, the handbook says to leave a note with your name, phone number and address, attach it securely, and report the collision to law enforcement.
It helps to take a breath before you do anything else. Adrenaline can make it hard to notice pain, and people often say they “felt fine” at the scene.
When do you have to report a collision in California?
Two different reports can come into play, and they are easy to mix up.
The DMV’s SR-1 reporting page says you or your representative “must complete an SR-1 report and send it to DMV within 10 days” if someone is injured (no matter how minor the injury) or killed, or if property damage is over $1,000. The same page says an SR-1 report “is required in addition to any other report made to the police, CHP,” so a police report alone does not cover it.
The DMV handbook adds a few points worth knowing:
- If anyone is injured or killed, a report must be made to law enforcement within 24 hours.
- Each driver must file an SR 1, whether or not you caused the collision. This includes collisions on private property.
- Law enforcement will not file the SR 1 for you.
- Your driving privilege will be suspended if you do not file the SR 1 when it is required.
| Situation | What the DMV says | Time frame |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone is hurt at the scene | Call 911 immediately | Right away |
| No one is hurt | Move out of traffic, then call 911 | Right away |
| Anyone injured or killed | Report to law enforcement | Within 24 hours |
| Injury (even minor), death, or over $1,000 in property damage | File an SR 1 with the DMV | Within 10 days |
| You hit an unattended car or property | Find the owner or leave a note, and report to law enforcement | At the time of the collision |
If you are not sure whether a report applies to you, the DMV is the right place to ask. The Aguilera Health & Wellness Center team cannot give legal advice.
When is it an emergency after a car accident?
A crash can jolt the head and body even when the car looks fine. The CDC says to call 911 or go to an emergency department right away if, after a blow or jolt to the head or body, an adult:
- Has a headache that gets worse and does not go away
- Has weakness, numbness, decreased coordination, convulsions or seizures
- Vomits repeatedly
- Has slurred speech or unusual behavior
- Has one pupil larger than the other
- Cannot recognize people or places, or gets confused, restless or agitated
- Loses consciousness, looks very drowsy or cannot be woken up
Do not wait on these. Call 911. A chiropractic office is not the place for emergency care.
Why can pain show up days after the crash?
MedlinePlus, the health site of the National Library of Medicine, says the pain of whiplash “may not appear right away after an accident, but sometimes may take hours to weeks to develop.” The same page lists dizziness, headache, and pain or stiffness in the neck, jaw, shoulders or arms as symptoms.
That is one reason to pay attention for a while after any wreck, even a slow one. Our post on whiplash symptoms that can show up days later goes into more detail. If you want to understand how your seat may have affected the way your neck moved, read seat belts, head restraints and neck injury.
What should you keep track of in the first few days?
A simple notebook or phone note can help any provider who examines you later. Consider writing down:
- The date, time and place of the crash
- Where you were sitting and which direction the impact came from
- Whether you were wearing a seat belt
- Any symptoms, and the day each one started
- What makes the pain better or worse, such as turning your head, sitting or sleeping
- Any visits to urgent care, an emergency room or your primary care provider
None of this is required. It just makes a later visit more useful, because you will not have to remember everything on the spot.
How can a chiropractor help after a car accident?
After emergency concerns are ruled out, some people choose to have their neck and back looked at by a chiropractor. At Aguilera Health & Wellness Center in Bakersfield, Dr. Frank J. Aguilera starts with a history and exam, and the office offers X-rays when they are appropriate. From there, care may include chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy and other options the practice offers. Every plan depends on what the exam finds, and no one can promise a specific result.
You can read more about how the office approaches car accident care, or browse the full list of services. If your pain is more in the low back or runs down a leg, back, neck and sciatica care may be a better place to start.
Spanish is spoken at the office, so you can talk through your concerns in the language you are most comfortable with.
Questions about how you feel after a crash?
If you were in a collision in or around Bakersfield and something does not feel right, call Aguilera Health & Wellness Center at (661) 833-1111 or use the contact page to reach the office. If you have any danger sign listed above, call 911 first.
