A car accident can leave you dealing with injuries, vehicle damage, insurance questions, and uncertainty about what to do next. If a crash happens in Orlando, your first priorities should be safety, getting emergency help when necessary, documenting what happened, exchanging information, and keeping records related to the accident.
The circumstances of every crash are different. The steps below provide general information about what you can consider doing after a car accident in Orlando.
What Should You Do Immediately After an Orlando Car Accident?
1. Check for Injuries and Get Emergency Help
Start by checking yourself and your passengers for injuries.
If anyone appears seriously injured or needs immediate medical assistance, call 911. Avoid attempting to move a seriously injured person unless remaining where they are creates an immediate safety risk.
Some injuries may not be obvious immediately after a collision. Pay attention to pain, dizziness, confusion, limited movement, or other symptoms that appear after the crash.
If you are unsure whether you need medical attention, consider obtaining an appropriate medical evaluation.
2. Stop and Stay at the Scene
Florida law generally requires drivers involved in crashes involving vehicle or property damage to stop at the scene, or as close to it as possible, and remain there while completing the required exchange of information.
If remaining in the exact position of the crash creates an immediate danger from traffic or another hazard, prioritize safety and follow instructions from law enforcement or emergency personnel.
Do not leave the scene simply because the collision appears minor.
3. Report the Accident When Required
Depending on the circumstances, Florida law requires certain crashes to be reported to law enforcement.
Under the current 2026 version of Florida Statute §316.065, a driver must immediately report a crash involving injury or death, or apparent damage of at least $2,000, to the appropriate law-enforcement agency. If the crash occurs within a municipality, the report generally goes to the local police department.
For a crash within the City of Orlando, this may involve the Orlando Police Department. Different agencies may respond when a collision occurs outside city limits or on certain highways.
Because it may be difficult to estimate property damage accurately at the scene, contacting law enforcement can also help establish an official record of what occurred.
4. Exchange Information With the Other Driver
Collect identifying and insurance information from the other driver or drivers involved.
Useful information may include:
- Full name
- Contact information
- Driver information
- Vehicle make and model
- License plate number
- Insurance company
- Insurance policy information, when available
Florida law provides for the exchange of information including the vehicle owner’s and driver’s name and address, vehicle license number, and liability insurance carrier in reportable crashes.
Try to record the information accurately rather than relying on memory later.
5. Take Photos and Document the Accident Scene
If it is safe to do so, photographs can help preserve information about the scene before vehicles are moved or conditions change.
Consider photographing:
- Damage to each vehicle
- Vehicle positions
- License plates
- Road conditions
- Traffic signals and signs
- Lane markings
- Skid marks or debris
- Nearby intersections
- Visible injuries, when appropriate
- Other conditions that may help explain what occurred
You can also make a brief note of the time, location, weather, direction of travel, and what you remember happening.
The purpose is to preserve factual information—not to determine who was legally responsible for the collision at the scene.
6. Collect Witness Information
If someone witnessed the crash, consider asking for their:
- Name
- Telephone number
- Email address
Independent witnesses may remember details that the drivers involved did not see.
Avoid pressuring a witness to give an opinion about fault. Simply preserve their contact information and, when appropriate, what they observed.
What Information Should You Keep After an Orlando Car Accident?
The information you need may extend beyond what you collect at the scene.
Consider maintaining a dedicated folder—digital or physical—for accident-related records.
That folder might contain:
- Crash-report information
- Photos and videos
- Insurance correspondence
- Vehicle repair estimates
- Towing records
- Rental-car records
- Medical bills and treatment records
- Prescription receipts
- Records of missed work
- Contact information for witnesses
- Notes about accident-related communications
Keeping these materials organized can make it easier to answer questions from insurers or a law firm later.
How Do You Get an Orlando Car Accident Report?
If the Orlando Police Department investigated your crash, you may be able to obtain the traffic crash report online.
According to the City of Orlando, an online crash report request is generally available when:
- You were the driver or are named as a person involved in the crash;
- The crash occurred within the City of Orlando; and
- The crash occurred in 2011 or later.
The city states that reports generally take 3–5 business days after the crash to become available online. The current listed fee is $10 per crash report, while a driver’s exchange report for a minor accident is free. Reports are provided through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles system.
The City of Orlando currently indicates that you may need information such as the case number, date of the crash, and driver’s name when requesting the report.
Because procedures and fees can change, check the current City of Orlando or FLHSMV instructions before requesting a report.
What About Medical Treatment After the Accident?
If you were injured or develop symptoms after leaving the scene, consider seeking appropriate medical attention.
Accident-related symptoms do not always appear immediately. Depending on the circumstances, someone may notice pain, stiffness, headaches, dizziness, or other symptoms later.
When you receive treatment, keep copies of relevant records such as:
- Medical-provider information
- Appointment dates
- Bills
- Prescriptions
- Discharge instructions
- Referral information
You do not need to diagnose the cause or severity of an injury yourself. Medical questions should be addressed by an appropriate healthcare professional.
What Should You Do About Insurance?
You may need to notify your insurer after the accident depending on your policy and the circumstances.
When communicating with an insurance company, try to keep accurate records of:
- Who you spoke with
- The date and time
- The claim number
- Documents you submitted
- Requests made by the insurer
- Written correspondence you received
Provide accurate factual information.
If you do not understand a request, document, release, settlement proposal, or recorded-statement request, consider obtaining appropriate guidance before making decisions you do not understand.
What if the Other Driver Leaves the Scene?
If another driver leaves before exchanging information, avoid putting yourself in danger by attempting to follow or confront them.
Instead, record as much information as you safely can, such as:
- License plate number
- Vehicle make and model
- Vehicle color
- Direction of travel
- Driver description
- Damage to the vehicle
Contact law enforcement and provide the information you have.
Photos, witnesses, nearby cameras, and other documentation may also become relevant.
What if the Other Driver Does Not Have Insurance Information?
If the other driver cannot provide insurance information, document what they are able to provide and report the circumstances accurately to the investigating officer and your insurer.
Do not assume at the scene that a driver is insured or uninsured simply because they do not have an insurance card available.
Preserve the driver’s identifying and vehicle information so the issue can be addressed through the appropriate process.
What if You Were a Passenger?
Passengers should also consider documenting what happened.
If you were injured as a passenger, keep information about:
- The vehicle you were riding in
- The driver
- Other vehicles involved
- Witnesses
- Medical treatment
- The crash report
- Insurance communications
A passenger’s circumstances can differ from those of the drivers involved, so avoid assuming that the same insurance or legal issues apply in every case.
Avoid Losing Important Accident Information
In the days following a collision, information can become harder to locate.
Photos may be deleted, paperwork may be misplaced, vehicles may be repaired, and memories may become less precise.
Consider preserving accident-related information as early as reasonably possible.
You may also want to avoid altering original photos or documents. Keep copies of important records in a secure location.
When Might You Consider Speaking With a Law Firm?
Some people decide to speak with a personal injury law firm when an accident involves injuries, ongoing medical treatment, disputes about what happened, insurance complications, significant vehicle damage, missed work, or questions about applicable deadlines.
Whether a particular law firm can assist depends on the facts of the matter and that firm’s own review criteria.
If you are looking for information specifically about accidents in the city, you can also review our Orlando Car Accident resource page.
How InjuryCaseDirect Works
InjuryCaseDirect provides a way for consumers to request an initial case review.
The process generally involves:
- Tell us what happened.
Complete a short online case evaluation. - Verify your information.
An intake representative may contact you to confirm your information and contact request. - Connect with a participating law firm.
With your consent, your information may be shared with a participating personal injury law firm. - The law firm reviews the matter.
The participating law firm independently determines whether it can assist.
Submitting information does not mean that InjuryCaseDirect or a participating law firm has accepted your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Orlando Car Accidents
Do I always need to call the police after a car accident in Orlando?
Florida law requires certain crashes to be reported, including crashes involving injury or death and crashes meeting the applicable property-damage threshold. Other circumstances can also affect reporting requirements. When there is uncertainty about injuries, damage, safety, or the circumstances of the crash, contacting the appropriate law-enforcement agency can help determine the proper next step.
How long does it take to get an Orlando crash report?
The City of Orlando currently states that crash reports generally take about 3–5 business days after the crash to become available online.
Should I take photos after a car accident?
If you can do so safely, photographs can help preserve factual information about vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic controls, and the overall scene.
What if I feel fine immediately after the crash?
Some symptoms may not be apparent immediately. Pay attention to how you feel after the accident and seek appropriate medical care if symptoms develop or you are concerned about an injury.
Should I keep repair and medical documents?
Yes. Keeping accident-related documents organized can make it easier to understand expenses, communicate with insurers, and provide information if you later request a case review.
Does submitting a case review mean a lawyer will take my case?
No. A participating law firm independently reviews the information and determines whether it can assist. Submission does not guarantee attorney representation or any particular outcome.
Request a Free Case Review
If you were injured in a car accident in Orlando and want to request a review of your situation, you can complete the InjuryCaseDirect case-evaluation form.
Start Your Free Case Review
It is free to submit, and there is no obligation to hire a participating law firm.
Important Disclosure
InjuryCaseDirect is a legal marketing service and is not a law firm. InjuryCaseDirect does not provide legal advice or legal representation. Information submitted through this website may be shared with participating attorneys or law firms for the purpose of responding to your request.
Submitting information does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not guarantee that a law firm will accept your matter or that compensation will be recovered.
This article provides general informational material only and is not a substitute for legal advice regarding a particular situation.