Car

I was in a car accident in Las Vegas — what to do

In order, before anything else: safety, then documentation, then the calls.

What to do first

1. Check for injuries. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, or if the vehicles are blocking traffic and can't be moved safely. That call also gets you a police response and report, which matters later.

2. If you can move safely, get out of traffic and turn on your hazards before you do anything else.

3. Exchange information with the other driver: name, phone number, insurance company and policy number, license plate. Photograph everything — both vehicles, both plates, the road, any visible damage — before anything is moved if it's safe to do so.

4. Notify your own insurance promptly, even if the other driver was at fault. Reporting late can complicate a claim.

5. If your car gets towed from the scene, Nevada caps what a nonconsensual tow can legally bill you. Run the bill through the tow bill checker before you pay it.

Programs and help that apply

Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada — free help if you qualify and the claim or liability is disputed.

211 — if the accident leaves you without transportation or housing in the short term.

Nevada's own accident-reporting statute (when a report to police or DMV is legally required, and by what deadline) has not been read by this desk yet, so this page sticks to what's true regardless of that threshold: get checked for injuries, document the scene, and tell your insurer.