Short answer
Start with safety: stop, check for injuries, call 911 when anyone may be hurt or the scene is dangerous, and provide the information and reasonable assistance Arizona law requires. If you can do so safely, photograph the vehicles and scene, collect witness information, and get the report number. Seek prompt medical evaluation for injuries or new symptoms, notify your own insurer with the basic facts, avoid guessing about fault, and save every photo, bill, receipt and message in one place.
Updated · Written by the Las Oficinas del Abogado Juancarlos team. General information, not legal advice for your situation.
At the scene: safety and required information
Arizona requires a driver involved in a crash with injury or death to stop and remain at the scene. Drivers must exchange identifying and vehicle information and provide reasonable assistance to an injured person, including arranging transportation for treatment when it is apparent or requested (A.R.S. §§ 28-661 and 28-663).
- Move out of active traffic when it is safe and lawful to do so.
- Call 911 for injuries, danger, suspected impairment or a driver who leaves.
- Exchange names, contact details, plate numbers and insurance information.
- Do not argue about fault or say you are unhurt before you know.
Capture evidence before the scene changes
- Photograph all sides of the vehicles, their positions, plates, debris, skid marks, signals and signs.
- Ask witnesses for names and contact information instead of assuming the report will include everyone.
- Note nearby homes or businesses with cameras; recordings may be overwritten quickly.
- Record the tow company and storage location before leaving.
Do not put yourself in traffic to take a picture. Evidence matters, but immediate safety comes first.
Get appropriate medical attention and connect it to the crash
Call emergency services for urgent symptoms. For other pain or symptoms, seek prompt evaluation from an appropriate medical professional and explain when and how the crash occurred. This is about your health first; accurate records also prevent later confusion about timing.
Follow the provider's instructions and keep discharge papers, referrals, prescriptions and work restrictions. This guide cannot diagnose an injury or tell you what treatment you need.
Report the crash without filling gaps with guesses
Your policy may require prompt notice. Give your insurer the basic facts you know: date, place, vehicles and report number. If you do not know speed, distance or the extent of an injury, say that instead of estimating.
A call from the other driver's insurer is different. You can ask for the request in writing and take time to understand who is calling before agreeing to a recorded statement or broad medical authorization.
Before the day ends, create one reliable record
- Write a short factual timeline while the sequence is fresh.
- Back up scene photos and save the report or incident number.
- Start a folder for bills, receipts, insurer messages and missed-work records.
- Do not repair, sell or release the vehicle before its condition is documented.
- Avoid posting about the crash, your activities or your health on social media.
What can change this checklist
A government vehicle, rideshare trip, commercial truck, hit-and-run, borrowed car or uninsured driver can add different notice, evidence and coverage questions. Preserve the same core records, but get advice tailored to that situation instead of assuming an ordinary two-car claim works the same way.
Primary sources
The legal and procedural points in this guide are grounded in these official sources so you can read the rules for yourself.
- A.R.S. § 28-661 — duty to stop after an injury crash
Arizona's official stop-and-remain requirement for crashes involving injury or death.
- A.R.S. § 28-663 — information and reasonable assistance
The identifying information and reasonable assistance drivers must provide after a crash.
- Arizona DPS — collision records request
Official information for requesting Arizona DPS collision records.
- Arizona DIFI — automobile insurance consumer information
Arizona's insurance regulator explains common auto coverages and claims concepts.