A practical guide to the first 24 hours after a collision on Sydney’s North Shore
There is a particular kind of silence that follows a crash. The engine cuts, the radio drops out, and for a second or two nothing moves. Then everything starts happening at once. Other cars are banking up. Someone is honking. The airbag dust is settling. And the only coherent thought most people have is: I have no idea what I’m supposed to do right now.
That’s normal. It is also the reason so many people make avoidable mistakes in the hours that follow. They forget to photograph the scene. They sign paperwork they shouldn’t. They drive home on a car that shouldn’t be driven. They assume police will sort it out, only to learn that in NSW, for most minor crashes, they won’t.
This guide covers what to do and what to avoid in the first 24 hours. It is written with the North Shore in mind, where the mix of tight residential streets, heavy arterial traffic and congested car parks means that most collisions happen at low speed but under high pressure.
The first five minutes
Safety comes first and everything else waits. If someone is injured or the scene is dangerous, call 000. If the vehicles can be moved off the road safely, do it. On a busy stretch of the Pacific Highway or Epping Road, a stationary car in a live lane becomes a second accident waiting to happen.
Once everyone is safe, the priority shifts to information. NSW Road Rule 287 sets out what drivers must do after a crash: stop, assist anyone who is hurt, and exchange details with every other driver involved.
The details to collect, on the phone, in a note:
- Full name, address and contact number of the other driver
- Registration number and state
- Licence number
- Insurer, if they know it
- Vehicle owner’s name and address, if different from the driver
A photo of a licence plate is not enough. A photo of a licence plate with no name, no phone number and no insurer is a headache waiting to happen three weeks later when the claim stalls.
When to call the police (and when you don’t need to)
NSW has a specific framework for crash reporting that surprises a lot of drivers. Police will attend and investigate what they classify as a “Major Traffic Crash”: any collision where someone is killed, injured, trapped, or where a driver appears affected by alcohol or drugs. They will also attend if there are hazards such as fuel spills or damage to structures, or if there is aggressive or criminal behaviour at the scene.
For most other crashes, police will not attend. NSW Police describes these as “Minor Traffic Collisions” and “Tow Away Only” crashes, and they are handled differently:
- If no vehicles are towed and nobody is injured: drivers exchange details and go. There is no requirement to call police and no police report number is needed for insurance.
- If any vehicle is towed from the scene: the driver must report the crash to the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 as soon as possible. The operator will issue an event number, which insurers use as a reference.
There is also a reporting obligation if the other driver refuses to exchange details, leaves the scene, or if the crash involves an unattended vehicle or property and the owner cannot be found. In those situations, call 131 444 or report online through the NSW Police Community Portal.
Photograph the scene like it’s evidence, because it is
Insurance assessors were not at the crash. They will rely on photographs to understand what happened, how the vehicles were positioned and what the conditions looked like. A few clear images taken at the scene carry more weight than a detailed written account produced from memory days later.
The shots that matter:
- A wide angle showing both vehicles in position, with road markings, traffic lights or signage visible
- Number plates on every vehicle involved
- Close-ups of damage on each vehicle, including paint transfer and scuff patterns
- The VIN plate on the other vehicle if it is visible (often at the base of the windscreen, driver’s side)
- Any skid marks, debris or broken parts on the road
On the North Shore, where side streets are narrow and parking is tight, it is also worth photographing the kerb line and the gap between parked cars and the travel lane. In suburbs like Naremburn, Lane Cove and parts of Artarmon, the usable road width can be deceptive, and that context matters when an insurer is deciding who had right of way.
Tow trucks: what drivers should know in NSW
Towing after a crash in NSW is governed by the Tow Truck Industry Act 1998 and the Tow Truck Industry Regulation 2020. The rules exist because the towing industry has a long history of sharp practice, and the law is designed to protect drivers at their most vulnerable.
The key points:
- NSW does not have a tow truck roster system for accident scenes. Multiple trucks may arrive. Drivers are not obliged to use the first one that appears.
- Tow truck operators are prohibited from touting for repair work. They can only offer towing services at the crash scene.
- It is illegal for a tow truck driver to harass or pressure a driver into signing a towing authority.
- The operator must provide a complete quote of all fees before the vehicle is moved.
- Accident tow trucks in NSW should display ‘TT’ number plates.
Maximum towing fees in Sydney are regulated. CHOICE and NSW Fair Trading both advise calling the insurer before signing anything at the scene. Most insurers have preferred towing and storage arrangements that avoid unexpected charges.
If a vehicle has been towed and the driver needs a repair assessment, North Shore Smash Repairs also offers 24/7 accident assistance and can talk drivers through the next steps. The workshop is at 46 Whiting Street, Artarmon.
Injuries that don’t show up until later
A low-speed crash can feel like nothing at the time. Adrenaline suppresses pain signals, and it is common for soft-tissue injuries to the neck, shoulders and lower back to surface 12 to 48 hours after impact. Headaches, restricted movement and sharp pain when turning are all signals worth taking seriously.
In NSW, the injury claims system works through Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance, commonly called the Green Slip. The State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) administers the scheme, and any person injured in a motor vehicle crash in NSW can make a claim, regardless of who was at fault.
Key details on CTP claims:
- Claims should ideally be lodged within 28 days of the crash to access all available benefits, including weekly income payments from the date of the accident.
- Benefits can include reasonable and necessary medical treatment, rehabilitation expenses, and income support if time off work is needed.
- Claims can be lodged up to three months after the crash, but earlier lodgement means earlier access to support.
- SIRA’s CTP Assist line is 1300 656 919 for questions about claims and eligibility.
Even if the injury seems minor, seeing a doctor and getting it documented within the first few days creates a record that is difficult to dispute later. Leaving it weeks makes any claim harder to support.
Make notes while the memory is fresh
Insurance claims can take weeks to process. By then, the details have blurred. A quick note on the evening of the crash is worth more than a careful reconstruction a month later.
A useful record includes:
- Time and location, as specifically as possible (for example, “Pacific Highway southbound, near Reserve Road, Artarmon, 5.20 pm”)
- Which lane each vehicle was in and direction of travel
- A single sentence describing what happened
- Witness names and phone numbers
Keep it factual. Do not speculate about fault or write anything that could be interpreted as an admission. That is for the insurers to sort out.
Why the car might not be fine, even if it looks fine
This is the section most drivers skip, and it is the one that causes the most problems weeks later. A modern vehicle is packed with sensors, cameras and radar modules that are calibrated to precise tolerances. A low-speed bump can shift a mounting bracket by a few millimetres and throw an entire safety system out of alignment. The car starts, it drives, and the owner assumes everything is normal. Then the warnings begin.
- Forward-facing camera (lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency braking): mounted behind the windscreen or in the grille area. A bumper impact or even a windscreen replacement can disturb its calibration. Checking it properly means a diagnostic scan and, where required, a recalibration with a documented record.
- Front radar sensor (adaptive cruise, AEB): typically sits behind the front bumper or badge. A front-end impact can bend the bracket or shift the sensor housing. It needs scanning, re-aiming if necessary, and confirmation that all fault codes have been cleared.
- Parking sensors: the most commonly damaged system in low-speed impacts. Bumper scuffs crack the sensor housings or break the clips. A proper check means a functional test and scan, not gluing sensors back into position.
- Blind-spot monitoring: rear quarter panels are where these modules live. A shunt from behind or a side-swipe can displace them. Even bumper removal during repair can strain the wiring. Any rear-corner repair should include a scan and function test of the side-detection system.
- Airbag system: if any airbag has deployed or a seatbelt pretensioner has fired, those components must be replaced outright. A diagnostic scan confirming zero remaining fault codes is the baseline. No exceptions.
Signs to watch for in the first 24 hours
- New warning lights on the dashboard that were not there before the crash
- Adaptive cruise refusing to engage or cancelling without reason
- Lane departure warnings activating on straight roads
- Parking sensors beeping constantly or not responding at all
If any of those appear, treat them as safety faults. A proper post-collision inspection should include electronic diagnostics and, where the manufacturer’s procedures require it, calibration with a documented completion record.
Four questions for any repairer
These are not trick questions. They are about evidence. A repairer who is doing the job properly will have no trouble answering them.
- Will you run a diagnostic scan before and after repair, and provide the results, where the vehicle has advanced driver-assistance systems?
- If a sensor or camera calibration is required, will you supply a documented completion record?
- Will you confirm whether replacement parts are genuine (OEM), OEM-equivalent, or aftermarket, and explain the choice?
- What are the storage fees if the vehicle is at your premises before and after repair?
North Shore Smash Repairs backs its work with a lifetime warranty and can walk drivers through the repair process from first assessment to collection. Their services page outlines the full scope of what the workshop covers
The 24 hours that shape everything after
Most of the friction in a crash claim does not come from the repair itself. It comes from gaps in the first 24 hours: missing details, no photographs, an unsigned towing authority, a sore neck that was never documented, a warning light that was ignored.
None of those things are hard to get right. They just need to be done while the moment is still clear.
This article is published by North Shore Smash Repairs. The questions and checklists in this guide are designed to work with any repairer. Use them to compare.
Frequently asked questions
Metallic paint adds aluminium flakes to the colour coat, and pearl paint adds ceramic crystals. Both need more precise application to match the factory finish, which means more labour and more materials. Colour matching on metallic is also harder, so blending into adjacent panels is usually required on any respray larger than a small touch-up. Expect a 15 to 30 percent premium over solid paint for the same scope.
The paint is touch-dry within hours of leaving the booth. Full cure, where the paint reaches its final hardness, takes two to four weeks depending on paint type and local conditions. During that window, avoid automatic car washes, polish, wax, and chemical cleaners. A respray that fails in the first few months is almost always one that was rushed through cure.
In NSW, most comprehensive policies let you choose your own repairer, but the exact terms sit in your PDS. Insurers often steer customers toward their preferred network for speed and cost control, but they cannot force you onto it under a standard choice-of-repairer policy. If your quote is higher than the insurer's preferred repairer, they may ask you to cover the gap or cash-settle at the lower amount. Some policies now charge extra for full choice of repairer, so check this at renewal.
A quality respray that matches the factory colour and finish has little impact on resale value, and can raise it if the original paint was faded or damaged. A poor respray, with visible overspray, bad blending, or runs in the clear coat, actively hurts resale. Buyers on the used market will often pay more for original paint in good condition than for a repaint, even a good one.
Reputable Australian shops offer at least a five-year warranty on paint adhesion and colour match. A lifetime warranty on workmanship, for as long as you own the vehicle, is the benchmark at the top end of the market. Get it in writing before any work starts, and check what it actually covers. A lifetime warranty that excludes peeling, fading, and blending issues isn't a real warranty.
