What to Do After a Car Accident: The Billings Driver’s Checklist

Being involved in a motor vehicle collision is incredibly stressful. However, the actions you take immediately following a crash are critical for protecting your physical safety, documenting legal fault, and ensuring your insurance claim is filed properly.

If you are currently at the scene of an accident in Billings, Laurel, or the greater Yellowstone County area, follow these step-by-step instructions.

1. Stop Your Vehicle & Prioritize Safety

No matter how minor the fender-bender appears, stop your car immediately. Leaving the scene of an accident can subject you to criminal hit-and-run prosecution under Montana law.

If it is a minor crash: Carefully drive your vehicle to the shoulder or a safe location off the road to avoid obstructing traffic. Turn on your hazard lights.
If it is a severe crash: Leave the vehicles exactly where they are. Turn off the engines to prevent fire hazards.

2. Check for Injuries & Call 911

Check yourself, your passengers, and the occupants of the other vehicles for injuries.

If anyone is hurt or complains of pain, call 911 immediately to request emergency medical assistance.
Call the Police: Even if the accident seems minor and the other driver wants to just exchange info, call the local Billings Police Department, County Sheriff, or Montana Highway Patrol. A formal police accident report provides critical, unbiased documentation regarding who was at fault.

3. Move to a Safe Location

If you are waiting for an officer to arrive, do not stand in the roadway or between the vehicles. Move safely onto the sidewalk or behind a guardrail. If you believe the other driver is aggressive or impaired, stay locked inside your vehicle and wait for law enforcement intervention.

4. Gather Critical Information

While details are still fresh, use your smartphone to document the facts. Use your camera or notes app to gather:

The Other Driver’s Details: Name, address, phone number, and driver’s license number.
Vehicle & Policy Info: License plate number, vehicle registration details, and insurance carrier name/policy number. (Tip: Take a photo of their insurance card and registration sheet).
Scene Documentation: Take wide-angle photos of the entire scene, close-ups of the vehicle damage points, street signs, weather visibility conditions, and any visible skid marks. Note the position of the cars relative to the road—this helps insurance adjusters recreate the collision timeline.

5. Protect Your Legal Rights (Avoid Admitting Fault)

Be polite but guarded. State law requires you to provide your name, address, and registration to other drivers involved, but you should never apologize or comment on the cause of the accident. Do not say things like “I didn’t see you” or “I’m so sorry.” Even if you think you were in the wrong, physical data or dashcam footage may later prove the other driver was legally at fault.

6. Notify Your Insurance Carrier

Call your insurance company to report the claim as soon as possible. Avoid making cash deals at the roadside to circumvent insurance tracking, as you could find yourself personally liable for hidden mechanical or structural damage discovered later.

Your Car, Your Choice: Where to Tow Your Vehicle

If your vehicle is not safe to drive away from the scene, the police officer will call a tow truck.

Know Your Rights as a Montana Driver: Under Montana Code Annotated 33-18-224, where you take your vehicle for insurance claim after a collision is 100% your choice. Insurance companies are legally prohibited from steering, coercing, or threatening you into using their corporate “Direct Repair Program” (DRP) shops, which often use cheaper aftermarket parts to save the insurer money.

Tell the tow truck operator to bring your vehicle directly to I’m Automotive at 5230 Holiday Ave in Billings.

As Montana’s largest independent, locally owned collision facility, our factory OEM-certified appraisers and technicians handle the entire insurance estimate, blueprinting, and digital supplement process for you. We shield you from carrier stress and restore your vehicle strictly to original manufacturer safety specifications.