Begin with health and safety
Leave immediate danger when possible, contact emergency services when appropriate, and seek care based on your symptoms.
Record the broader setting
If safe, capture wide and close views of vehicles, property conditions, traffic controls, lighting, weather, and visible injuries.
Identify records and witnesses
Save the report number and responding agency. Note witness contact details and nearby cameras that may overwrite footage.
Keep original files
Preserve unedited photographs, messages, damaged property, receipts, medical instructions, wage records, and insurer correspondence.
Write a factual timeline
Privately note what you observed and when. Separate what you remember from what someone else later told you.
Avoid premature conclusions
Do not guess about responsibility or sign releases you do not understand. A fact-specific review may identify other useful evidence.