How to Report a Car Accident in Charlotte, NC

If anyone is injured, trapped, or the crash blocks traffic, call 911 immediately. Charlotte 911 dispatches both police and EMS. Stay on the line until the dispatcher confirms help is on the way. If you are too injured to call, ask a witness or passenger to call for you.

For non-injury accidents where vehicles are drivable and the road is clear, but property damage appears to be $1,000 or more, call the CMPD non-emergency line at (704) 336-7600. An officer will be dispatched, though response times for non-injury crashes can be longer — 30 minutes to several hours depending on call volume.

If the accident occurred on an interstate highway or outside Charlotte city limits, the NC State Highway Patrol may respond instead of CMPD. The Highway Patrol can be reached at *HP (*47) from a cell phone or (800) 662-7956.

If you can move safely, pull your vehicle to the shoulder or out of traffic lanes. Turn on your hazard lights. If the vehicles cannot be moved, turn on hazards and set up flares or reflective triangles if you have them. North Carolina law (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-161) requires drivers to move vehicles that are obstructing traffic if the vehicle is operable and it is safe to do so.

Check yourself and your passengers for injuries. Do not move anyone who appears to have a neck, back, or spinal injury — wait for EMS. If someone is bleeding severely, apply direct pressure with a clean cloth while waiting for paramedics.

Do not leave the scene. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166, any driver involved in a crash that results in injury, death, or property damage must stop immediately and remain at the scene. Leaving the scene of a crash involving injury or death is a Class H felony in North Carolina. Leaving the scene of a crash with property damage only is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

North Carolina law (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166) requires drivers involved in a crash to provide their name, address, driver's license number, and vehicle registration number to the other driver and to any officer investigating the crash. Also exchange insurance company names and policy numbers.

Write down or photograph the other driver's license plate, vehicle make and model, and the location of any visible vehicle damage. If there are witnesses, ask for their names and phone numbers — witness testimony can be critical in North Carolina's contributory negligence system.

Do not discuss fault at the scene. Do not apologize, say 'I'm sorry,' or speculate about what happened. Under North Carolina's pure contributory negligence rule, any statement that implies you were partially at fault can be used against you to bar your entire claim. Stick to exchanging the information required by law and let the officer determine the facts.

Use your phone to photograph everything at the scene. Take wide shots showing the overall scene, intersection, traffic signals, and road conditions. Take close-up photos of damage to all vehicles, skid marks, debris fields, and any road hazards (potholes, obscured signs, broken traffic lights). Photograph your injuries — bruises, cuts, swelling — while they are fresh.

Note the time, weather conditions, visibility, and road surface (wet, dry, icy). If a traffic camera or nearby business security camera may have captured the crash, make a note of its location. This footage can be critical evidence, especially in contributory negligence disputes.

If you have a dashcam, preserve the footage immediately. Do not overwrite it. Transfer it to a computer or cloud storage as soon as possible. Dashcam footage is some of the strongest evidence available in a North Carolina injury claim because it shows exactly what happened without relying on anyone's memory or credibility.

When the CMPD officer arrives, they will investigate the crash and complete the DMV-349 crash report form. The officer will interview each driver, examine the vehicles, measure the scene, and assess contributing factors. Cooperate fully but be careful with your words.

Provide the facts: where you were going, your speed, the traffic signal or sign you observed, and what the other vehicle did. Do not volunteer opinions about fault, and do not guess about details you are unsure of. If you do not know the answer to a question, say 'I don't know' rather than speculating. Every statement you make can appear in the report and be used by the insurance company.

If you are injured, tell the officer about your injuries. This creates an official record connecting your injuries to the crash — important for your claim. If you feel pain but are not sure of the extent, say 'I am in pain and plan to seek medical attention' rather than saying 'I'm fine.'

If police do not respond to the scene — which can happen with minor fender-benders when there are no injuries and vehicles are drivable — you are still required to report the accident if it meets the reporting threshold. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166.1, any crash involving injury, death, or $1,000+ in property damage must be reported.

If no officer investigates, you must submit a driver's crash report to the NCDMV. Self-report forms are available at local NCDMV offices or can be mailed. The report should be filed within 10 days of the accident. Note that a self-report filed by a driver (not a law enforcement officer) cannot be used as evidence in any civil or criminal trial arising from the accident — but failing to report can result in suspension of your driver's license.

Even if you self-report, your claim is stronger with a police-investigated DMV-349 report. If possible, call CMPD's non-emergency line at (704) 336-7600 and request an officer before leaving the scene. If the dispatcher says no officer is available, ask for a case number and file the self-report with the DMV.

See a doctor within 24 to 72 hours of the accident, even if you feel fine at the scene. Many injuries — concussions, whiplash, internal bleeding, soft tissue damage — do not show symptoms immediately. A medical evaluation creates a documented connection between the crash and your injuries, which is essential for your claim.

Charlotte's Level I Trauma Center is Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical Center at 1000 Blythe Blvd. For less severe injuries, urgent care facilities and your primary care doctor are appropriate. The key is to get evaluated quickly and consistently follow up on treatment.

Tell the doctor exactly how the accident happened and describe all symptoms, even minor ones. Medical records that connect your symptoms to the crash are among the strongest evidence in a personal injury claim. Gaps in treatment give insurance companies an argument that your injuries are not serious or were caused by something else.

If you were in a car accident in Charlotte and you have reported it, take our free 2-minute assessment. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report covering North Carolina's filing deadline for your claim, how contributory negligence may affect your situation, and whether connecting with a personal injury attorney makes sense.

Reporting the accident was the right first step. Understanding your legal options is the next one. Our assessment is free, confidential, and gives you the information you need to decide what comes next.