After a Car Accident in Pakistan: A Step-by-Step Checklist

After a car accident, check for injuries first and call Rescue 1122 if anyone is hurt. Then make the scene safe, call the police (15 in cities, or Motorway Police on 130 on motorways and national highways), collect evidence, exchange details with the other driver, inform your insurer and arrange recovery for your car. The checklist below takes you through each step.

Accidents are stressful, and it is easy to forget something important. Save this page on your phone or keep a printed copy in your glovebox.

1. Check for injuries

Stop the car, switch off the engine and put on the handbrake. Check yourself and your passengers. If anyone is injured, call Rescue 1122 immediately. Do not move a seriously injured person unless they are in immediate danger, for example from fire or traffic, because moving them can make a neck or back injury worse.

2. Make the scene safe

• Switch on your hazard lights.
• If the cars can be moved and no one is hurt, move them out of live traffic to the hard shoulder or the side of the road. Take photos of their positions first if you can do so safely.
• Place a warning triangle well behind the scene to warn approaching traffic.
• Get passengers out on the side away from traffic and keep them behind the barrier or off the road.
• If you smell fuel or CNG, or see smoke, move everyone well away from the vehicles and do not let anyone smoke nearby.

3. Call the right people

• Rescue 1122 for injuries, fire or anyone trapped.
• Motorway Police (NH&MP) on 130 for accidents on motorways and national highways they patrol.
• Police on 15 for accidents on city roads and other highways.
• A recovery service if your car cannot be driven safely.

In a serious accident, or where there is a dispute about who was at fault, the police report is important for insurance and any legal claim. Ask the officer how to get a copy and note their name and the police station.

4. Collect evidence

Use your phone to record as much as you can while the scene is fresh:

• Photos of all vehicles from several angles, including number plates and damage close up.
• Wide photos of the scene showing the road, signs, signals, skid marks and debris.
• The date, time and exact location, such as a kilometre marker, road name or landmark.
• Weather and road conditions, such as fog, rain, potholes or poor lighting.
• Names and phone numbers of any witnesses.
• Dashcam footage, if you have it. Save a copy before it is overwritten.

5. Exchange details with the other driver

Note the other driver's name, phone number, CNIC number, vehicle registration number, make and model, and insurance company if they have one. Photograph their registration documents and licence if they agree. Stay calm and polite, and avoid admitting fault at the scene; let the police and insurers establish what happened.

6. Inform your insurer

Call your insurance company or agent as soon as you can, ideally from the scene. Many insurers have time limits for reporting a claim and may want to inspect the car before it is repaired. Ask them whether they have an approved workshop, whether they arrange recovery, and what documents they need. Do not authorise repairs before your insurer agrees, unless they tell you to go ahead.

7. Arrange recovery for your car

If the car has damaged wheels, steering, suspension, lights or a leaking fluid, do not drive it. An accident-damaged car should usually travel on a flatbed, and may need to be winched if its wheels no longer turn. Tell the recovery company where you want it taken: your home, your insurer's approved workshop, or a dealer.

When you call us, we confirm a fixed quote before dispatch and give you a live ETA on the call. Send photos on WhatsApp so we bring the right equipment.

8. Afterwards

• See a doctor even if you feel fine; some injuries show up later.
• Keep all receipts for recovery, repairs, medical costs and transport.
• Keep a file with photos, the police report, insurer correspondence and witness details.
• Follow up with your insurer in writing so you have a record.

Keep an accident kit in your car

A warning triangle, a reflective vest, a first-aid kit, a torch, a pen and paper, a phone charger and a list of emergency numbers make it much easier to handle an accident calmly.