What to Do After a Car Accident in Fontana, CA

What to Do Right After a Car Accident

The first minutes after a crash are about safety. Check yourself and your passengers for injuries, and call 911 if anyone is hurt. If the cars can be moved and no one is injured, move them out of traffic and turn on your hazard lights.

Then exchange information with the other driver: names, phone numbers, insurance companies and policy numbers, and license plates. Stay calm and stick to the facts. Do not argue about who was at fault at the scene.

Why These Steps Matter in Fontana, CA

Crashes in Fontana often happen on fast, busy roads: the I-10, the I-15, the SR-210 and the stop-and-go stretches of Foothill Blvd and Sierra Avenue. Standing beside a freeway lane is dangerous, so getting to safety comes first. The rest can wait a few minutes.

The steps that follow protect your claim. Photos, a police report and the other driver's details are what your insurer works from. Missing them can slow the repair or shift costs to you.

When to Report the Accident in Fontana, CA

Report the claim to your insurer as soon as you can, usually the same day. If the other driver was at fault, open a claim with their insurer too. Have your photos and the other driver's details ready.

California also requires an SR-1 report to the DMV within 10 days when anyone is injured, no matter how minor, or killed, or when property damage is over $1,000. You, or your insurance agent, broker or legal representative, must send it. It is required in addition to any police or insurance report.

Situations That Call for Extra Steps

These situations call for extra care after an accident:

Your Checklist After the Crash

Work through these steps once everyone is safe:

• Step 1: Call 911 if anyone is hurt, and the police when needed; get the report number.
• Step 2: Exchange information and photograph the cars, the plates, the scene and any damage.
• Step 3: Report the claim to your insurer, and send the DMV an SR-1 within 10 days if the rules require it.
• Step 4: Call (909) 347-6911, and we tow the car to our shop, write a free estimate and start the repair.

Photos and Notes at the Scene

Photograph both cars from several angles, close up and from a distance. Include the other car's plate, the road, any traffic signals or signs and anything that shows how the crash happened. Your phone records the time and place.

Write down what happened while it is fresh: the direction each car was going, the lane and the weather. Note any witnesses and their phone numbers. These details help when the insurers decide who pays.

The Police Report and the SR-1

Call the police when someone is hurt, when the road is blocked or when the other driver leaves. A police report is strong evidence for your claim. After a hit and run, it is often required before the insurer pays, as our Hit and Run Damage Repair page explains.

The SR-1 is a separate report to the DMV. It is due within 10 days when the rules above apply. Keep a copy for your records.

Getting the Car to the Right Shop

If the car is leaking, will not steer straight or has a light or wheel damaged, do not drive it. Have it towed. You decide where it goes.

California law says your insurer cannot require you to use a specific repair shop, as our Choose Your Own Body Shop page explains. Call us, and we coordinate the tow to our Fontana shop. We offer on-site car rentals, so you can keep driving.

Why Fontana Customers Choose Royal Collision Center

We have repaired accident-damaged vehicles since 1993, in an I-CAR and ASE certified facility. We coordinate towing, work with all insurance companies and handle the claim with your adjuster. Every collision and body repair is backed by our Lifetime Warranty.

On-site car rentals and customer and car drop-offs and pick-ups keep you moving after an accident. Our customer lounge has free Wi-Fi if you would rather wait. Hablamos Español, so we can help in Spanish or English.