Had a Crash? Here’s What the Next 24 Hours Should Look Like.

Nobody expects it. One moment the traffic is crawling along Whitehorse Road

the next there’s a crunch, a jolt, and a sudden silence in the cabin. Maybe it was a lane-change misjudgement near Box Hill Central. Maybe someone rolled into the back of the car at the Canterbury Road lights. Either way, the next 24 hours matter more than most people realise.

Not because of insurance paperwork or repair quotes. Those come later. The first day is about two things: keeping everyone safe and locking in the facts before they fade.

The roadside

If anyone is hurt, or the scene feels dangerous, the call is 000. That part is straightforward. But most crashes across Melbourne’s inner east are low-speed affairs, the sort that happen in shopping centre car parks, at roundabouts, or in tight streets where parked cars narrow the lane to a squeeze. The car is driveable. Nobody is bleeding. And that’s when people tend to make their first mistake: they rush.

Victoria’s Road Safety Act sets out what drivers must do after a collision, and the short version is this: stop, help anyone who needs it, and exchange details. Not a photo of a licence snapped through a window. Proper details.

Open a note on the phone and get:

Full name, address and phone number of the other driver

Registration number

Licence details

Insurer, if they know it

The vehicle owner’s details, if the driver is not the owner

RACV recommends collecting this information as standard practice after any collision. It is also worth noting that if police attend the scene, drivers are required to provide their details to officers as well.

When police are (and aren’t) involved

This catches a lot of people out. In Victoria, if nobody is injured and both parties exchange details, police may not attend and may not produce a formal report. That does not mean the crash is unrecorded or unimportant. It means the onus falls on the drivers to document everything properly.

For non-urgent police assistance, Victoria Police operates the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 and accepts online reports for certain matters.

There are situations where a police report becomes essential: if the other driver leaves the scene, refuses to hand over details, or if there is any suspicion that alcohol or drugs are involved. In those cases, report it without delay.

Photographs that earn their keep

The phone is already out for swapping details, so use it. A few targeted photos taken at the scene are worth more than a dozen taken at the repair shop three days later.

What to capture:

Both vehicles in position, before moving them if it is safe to wait
Number plates on both cars
A wide shot showing lane markings, traffic lights or signage for context
Close-up shots of damage on both vehicles, including paint transfer
The other vehicle’s VIN plate if accessible (usually visible at the base of the windscreen)

On the tighter inner-east streets, and anywhere near tram corridors, a photo of the kerb line and parked-car spacing can settle arguments about who was encroaching on whose lane. It takes ten seconds and can save weeks of back-and-forth.

The tow truck question

If the car cannot be driven safely, a tow truck enters the picture. This is where Victorian law offers protections that many drivers do not know about.

Under the Accident Towing Services Act 2007 and associated regulations, tow truck drivers and any other person are prohibited from touting for repair work at the crash scene. A driver does not need to decide where the vehicle will be repaired at the time of tow. The tow truck operator must explain the driver’s rights and provide the towing authority paperwork before the vehicle is moved.

In the Melbourne controlled area, accident tow trucks are allocated through a roster system. Drivers can call 13 11 76 for crash towing allocation.

Before signing anything at the roadside, it is worth calling the insurer. Most major insurers have preferred tow and storage arrangements. Skipping that call can mean paying for storage fees or secondary tows that were never agreed to. Consumer groups including CHOICE recommend contacting the insurer before committing to any towing arrangement.

If the vehicle has been towed and needs assessment, Surrey Accident Repair Centre’s towing page outlines the next steps for drivers in that situation.

The aches that arrive on day two

Inner-east crashes are typically low speed, but the human body does not always react on the spot. Soft-tissue injuries to the neck and back can take 12 to 24 hours to surface. Adrenaline masks a lot in the first hour.

If soreness, headaches or restricted movement appears the next day, get it checked. Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission (TAC) provides guidance on what to do after an accident, including how injury claims work and what medical support is available. Early documentation of symptoms makes any later claim far simpler

Write it down while the details are sharp

Two minutes of note-taking on the evening of a crash can save hours of reconstructing events weeks later. Memory is unreliable, and insurance assessors know it.

A useful note includes:

Time and location (for example, “Whitehorse Rd near Station St, Box Hill, 4.45 pm”)

Direction of travel and which lane

A single sentence on what happened

Names and contact details of any witnesses

Resist the urge to argue fault at the roadside. State the facts. Leave the interpretation to the insurers and, if it comes to it, the lawyers.

The part most people miss: crash sensors and cameras

A modern car can look perfectly fine after a minor bump and still have safety systems that need professional attention. This is where a lot of post-repair frustration begins. The car drives. It seems normal. Then warnings start appearing, features stop working, or the vehicle behaves differently in traffic.

Even a low-speed bumper hit can disturb systems that most drivers never think about.

Forward-facing camera (used for lane-keep assist and autonomous emergency braking): a windscreen crack, bumper shift or movement in the grille area can throw the calibration out. Proper checking means a diagnostic scan and recalibration where needed, with a record of completion.

Radar sensor (adaptive cruise control and AEB): sits behind or within the front bumper on most modern vehicles. A bracket bend or mounting shift from a front-end impact can affect its alignment. It needs scanning, aiming if required, and confirmation that no fault codes remain.

Parking sensors: bumper scuffs can crack the sensor housings or damage the clips that hold them in place. A functional test and scan should confirm whether they need replacing rather than gluing back together.

Blind-spot monitoring: rear quarter impacts are the classic trigger. Even removing and refitting a bumper during repairs can strain the wiring. A scan and functional check of the side-detection system should be part of any repair involving the rear corners.

Airbag system: if any airbag has deployed or a seatbelt pretensioner has fired, those components must be replaced, not reset. A scan report confirming no remaining fault codes is the minimum standard.

Warning signs to watch for in the first 24 hours

Dashboard warning lights that were not on before the crash

Adaptive cruise control cancelling or refusing to set

Lane assist switching itself off repeatedly

Parking sensors giving false alarms constantly

Any of those should be treated as a safety system fault, not a minor irritation. A proper post-collision inspection includes electronic diagnostics and, where manufacturer procedures require it, calibration evidence.

Questions worth asking any repairer

Whether a driver ends up at Surrey Accident Repair Centre in Surrey Hills or any other shop, these questions are about proof, not promises.

Will you provide a pre-repair and post-repair diagnostic scan report, where the vehicle has driver-assistance systems?

If calibration is needed, will you supply a calibration record or completion note?

If parts are replaced, will you confirm whether they are genuine (OEM), OEM-equivalent, or aftermarket, and explain why?

If the car is towed to your workshop, where will it be stored and what fees apply before any further movement?

A repairer who is confident in their process will not hesitate with any of those. Surrey Accident Repair Centre’s services page details what their assessment and repair process involves.

The 24 hour takeaway

The first 24 hours after a crash are not about getting the car fixed. They are about building an evidence trail that makes everything afterwards smoother: the insurance claim, the repair, the medical treatment if needed, and the peace of mind that nothing was missed.

Get the details. Take the photos. Know the towing rules. Watch the warning lights. Write it down.

The rest follows from there.

This article is published by Surrey Accident Repair Centre. The questions and checklists above are designed to work with any repairer. Use them to compare.

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FAQs

It depends on the circumstances. If someone is injured, or the other party refuses details or leaves the scene, report it. In minor crashes where nobody is injured and details are exchanged, Victoria Police may not attend or produce a formal report.

Names, addresses, contact details, registration numbers, licence details, and the vehicle owner’s information if the driver is not the owner.

No. Under Victorian towing regulations, drivers do not need to decide where repairs will be done at the time of tow. Touting for repair work at the crash scene is prohibited under the Accident Towing Services Act 2007.

Victoria Police operates the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 for non-urgent matters, and also accepts online reports for certain event types.

Yes. Even low-speed bumper or windscreen impacts can shift mounting points for forward cameras, radar sensors and parking sensors. Proper checking typically includes a diagnostic scan and calibration where manufacturer procedures require it.

Vehicle positions before moving (if safe), number plates, close-up damage shots including paint transfer, and a wide shot showing lane markings, signage or traffic lights for context.

See a doctor. Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission (TAC) provides guidance on post-accident medical support and how injury claims work.

If steering, braking or airbag warning lights seem abnormal, or if there are fluid leaks, do not assume it is safe to drive. Arrange an inspection.