What to do after a car crash in Queensland

The steps a driver takes in the first hour after a crash, and in the days that follow, shape both their recovery and any compensation they can later claim. Here is what applies on Queensland roads, from the moment the vehicles stop to the paperwork that has a deadline on it.

At the scene

Stop. A driver involved in a crash in Queensland must stop and stay at the scene. Check whether anyone is hurt and call 000 if a person is injured or trapped, or if the road is blocked. Leave the vehicles where they are for police and photographs unless they are a danger to other traffic and no one is injured, in which case move them clear.
Exchange details with the other driver: name, address, licence number, vehicle registration, and the insurer if they will give it. Note the other vehicle's make, model, colour and any distinguishing marks. If anyone saw what happened, get a name and phone number before they drive off, because witnesses are almost impossible to trace afterwards. On a busy stretch such as Takalvan Street or the Bruce Highway, put the hazard lights on and keep well away from moving traffic.

When a crash must be reported to police

Not every knock needs a police report, but several situations do. Report the crash if someone is injured or killed, if a driver appears affected by alcohol or drugs, if another driver refuses to hand over their details, or if a vehicle has to be towed. Report it as well if the other party leaves without stopping, which is a hit and run.
Non-urgent crashes can be reported to Policelink on 131 444 or at a police station. Anything involving injury, a blocked road, a fleeing driver or a serious hazard should go to 000. Ask for the report or event number when you make the call. It becomes useful if a claim follows later.

Get a medical check even if you feel fine

Adrenaline hides a great deal. It is common to walk away from a collision feeling only shaken, then wake two or three days later with neck pain, headaches, stiffness or dizziness that was not there at the roadside. Whiplash and soft-tissue injuries often surface on a delay.

See a GP or go to the hospital promptly, and describe how the crash happened rather than only how you feel on the day. A medical record dated close to the crash ties the injury to the collision. Without one, an insurer can later argue the pain came from something unrelated, and that argument is much harder to answer months down the track.

Document what you can

Photographs taken at the scene are almost impossible to recreate later. Capture the position of the vehicles before anything is moved, the damage to both cars, any skid marks, the state of the road and the weather, and any signs or signals nearby. Photograph the other vehicle's number plate.

Then keep every receipt that follows: medical costs, prescriptions, physiotherapy, and travel to and from appointments. Write down what you remember while it is fresh: which direction each vehicle was travelling and roughly how fast. Memory of the sequence fades quickly, and small details often decide who was at fault.

Where to get advice

In Queensland, anyone injured in a motor vehicle crash caused by another driver can generally claim through the compulsory third party (CTP) insurer attached to the at-fault vehicle, but the time limits are short: a Notice of Accident Claim Form must usually be lodged within nine months of the crash (or the first symptoms), and a shorter three-month limit applies where the other driver cannot be identified, such as a hit and run. For drivers who want to understand how a compensation claim actually works before they pick up the phone, Smith's Lawyers is a Queensland firm that has run car accident and CTP claims since 1996, and it explains the CTP scheme and the claims process within Queensland's time limits in plain English. The firm handles injury and CTP matters on a No Win, No Fee basis and works with clients across Queensland, so a Bundaberg driver does not need to travel to a capital city to get an initial read on where they stand.

Getting advice does not commit anyone to a claim. Speaking to a solicitor early, while the nine-month window is open and the evidence is still fresh, keeps your options open. The CTP insurer itself can explain how to lodge, and community legal centres give free initial guidance for drivers who are not sure whether they have a claim at all.

Timing decides most of this. Injuries get harder to prove as the weeks pass, and witnesses become harder to find. The statutory deadlines do not move for anyone. A driver who stops, reports what needs reporting, sees a doctor and keeps a paper trail has done most of the hard work before a claim is ever raised.

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